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news
Adding Friday
classes
By Larry W. Brunson
Jr.
On-line Forty-Niner
Many students at
Cal State Long Beach are having difficulty getting into classes
due to the influx of new and returning students on campus
this year.
Several departments
on campus are aware of the overcrowding problem and are taking
steps to accommodate the students.
According to Armando
Contreras, executive assistant to CSULB President Robert Maxson,
there was a scheduling policy passed by the Academic Senate
that allows the university to offer more Monday-Wednesday-Friday
classes.
This policy was
passed, not only to maximize classroom space and to accommodate
students, but also to control increasing enrollment numbers,
according to Contreras.
According to Keith
Polakoff, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, many
of the departments on campus have expanded the days and times
courses are offered, as well as the number of courses offered.
"There have
been very few students complaining of getting a full unit
load, though some didn't get a class they wanted," Polakoff
said.
Polakoff added
that the faculty on campus does not seem to have a problem
with the class schedule expansions.
"The faculty
is very flexible," Polakoff said. "One of the benefits
of a large campus is that you don't have to require faculty
to teach an extra course, many of them volunteer."
Some students agree
with having Friday classes.
"I would come
if they offered what I need," said Michele Hinojosa,
a senior liberal studies major. "I go to school full-time
and work part-time, and when you're an older student you want
to get out quicker and go to graduate school or work."
On the other hand,
some students would rather not have classes on Fridays.
"I wouldn't
want Friday classes because I work full-time, and Fridays
allow me to work all day," said Suzy Schmidt, a graduate
food science student. "This is a big commuter school
and people work full-time."
The number of Monday-Wednesday-Friday
classes will multiply because all of the classrooms for Tuesday-Thursday
classes are full, Polakoff said. Also, there will be more
three-hour, Friday-only courses offered in the morning and
afternoon, and Saturday classes will be offered in future
semesters.
According to Polakoff,
there were 32,000 students expected to attend CSULB this year,
but currently 33,000 are enrolled, 1,000 more than expected,
causing over-enrollment.
"There are
4,500 freshman here this year, which is 1,000 more than last
year," Polakoff said. "It will never be this big
again."
He added that there
will be higher admission standards for first-time freshman
beginning next year so that over-enrollment will not be a
problem. Also, transfer students will be required to apply
earlier so the university can see what kind of enrollment
numbers they have before accepting first-time freshman.
By Sept. 24, the
official student population numbers will be released. Then
there will be a better idea of what plans will be made for
the next school year, Polakoff said.
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