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HE Friday, September 3, 1993
ELESCOPE
Palomar Community College, 1140 West Mission Road, San Marcos CA 92069-1487
Volume 47, Number 1
Enrollment drops to 22,550 this fall By Judy Erickson
Copy Editor
Students scramble to register for classes before the Sept. 3 deadlineas they wait in lines that, although seemed long, were actually shorter than previous semesters due to decreased enrollment this fall.
Contrary to 1990 projections of continued steady growth, Palomar College's fall enrollmentof22,550 is down 6.9 percent, compared to a 5.7 percent jump last year. As a result, many day and evening classes at all campuses are not filled. "It's always discouraging when we go down," Lee said. "We were hoping we would not go down, but with fees and the recession, it's kind of understandable why students stay away. ''Most of us would have liked enrollment to stay the same or go up. ... it would be interesting to find out what the reasons are, but we can't find out because those people aren' t here." Admissions sent a survey to approximately 100PARregistrants to find out why they didn't pay their fees. According to Josie Silva, secretary for Admissions, most respondentscited personal reasons, which the department interpreted as lack offmances. The upside, Lee said, is that,
with budget cuts and resulting class closures, the college may not have been able to handle more students. The college enjoyed 7 percent annual growths between 1987 and 1990, ilfterrecovering from a large drop in 1984-85 when fees went up in the state's community colleges. Tuition jumped from $5 per unit with a cap of $60 per semester in 1991 to$1-0perunitwithnocap in 1992. This semester, tuition went up to $13 per unit with no cap. Palomar is not as hard hit as some other local institutes of higher learning. San Diego State University is experiencing its lowest enrollment in 10 years, according to Lee. Mira Costa College, with an enrollment of 7,847, suffered a 9.87 percent drop from last fall, said Bonnie Hall of the college's public information office. However, Cal State San Marcos is up 20 percent from last fall, with 1,708 fulltime students and 2,373 total student body. Registration closes today for the Palomar semester which runs through Dec. 20.
College budget cuts not as severe as earlier projected
ASG calls for involvement
By Bjarne Olsen
Seeking to increase involvement in student government, the Associated Student Government encouraged all interested students to run for one of six senatorial seats. Prospective candidates still have an opportunity to pick up a packet in the ASG office in SU-7 until Sept. 17. The packet involves obtaining 200 signatures to secure a nomination. The election• will be held Sept. 21-22. At the Sept. 3 meeting, the ASG unveiled a proposal for an Associated Student Adjunct Council to be made up of students from the general student body with an ASG member as chair and coordinator. According to ASG Executive Vice President Sue Martin, the council is geared toward students who wish to participate in student government, but lack the time to commit to "full blown ASG." Membership on the council is open to all students who are in good academic and disciplinary standing. In order to serve on the council, potential members must receive a majority approval by the ASG Senate. Meetings for the Adjunct Coucil will be held each second and fourth Friday in SU-7 at 2 p.m. Applicants should apply at the Student Activities Office. In other news, former Vice President of Social Affairs-Joseph Coyle resigned Aug. 27, citing personal reasons, according to Jim
Staff Writer
came time for students to register for fall classes, according to Dr. George Boggs, superintendent and president of Palomar. "We're not happy about the cuts and sacrifices we have had to make, but we are happy that the increase was only $3 per unit this year for our students," he said.
Palomar College's budget proposal painted a grim picture for students and staff, but new changes may affect the amount of reductions the scllool bas to endure. The proposal developed by the school's Budget Development Com''We're not happy about the mittee on July 27 outlines several reductions in school funds, including a cuts and sacrifices we have 3. 7 percent decrease for instruction, a 9 had to make." percent decrease in student services, and a 9 percent reduction for adminis- Dr. Merilee Lewis, trative services. Assistant SuperintendenWice The proposed 3.7 percent reduction President of Instruction in funds slated for instruction has since been reduced to 3.2 percent, according to Dr. Merrilee Lewis, assistant superintenBoggs added that even with the increase dent and vice president of instuction. "We to $13 per unit, California community colwere worried that it would be worse," she leges still enjoy the lowest fees in the counsaid. try. Other divisions, including student serHe also emphasized the importance of vices and administrative services, have seen affordable fees at our community colleges. the percentage of reductions decrease to 6 "With the continued weakness in the percent since the most recent changes to the California economy, people need access to proposal. quality education and training to obtain good Student fees for class registration, which jobs, and they need continuing education were expected to skyrocket in the next few and retaining to qualify for new opportuniyears, were also lower than projected earlier ties," he said. this year. Classes cut for the fall semester, accordThe $30 per unit fee set by Governor Pete Wilson was reduced to $13 a unit when it • See BUDGET, Page 3
By John Conzemius
Staff Writer
Joseph Coyle Bowen, student activities director. In the Aug. 27 ASG meeting, s<>me senators voiced complaints about Coyle's conduct a USSA conference in July.They charged he failed to attend key meetings. "It was not that I was there taking a vacation," said CoyI~. 1'I did attend the classes that needed to be aqended." He resigned directly after the meeting, which one student felt was for the better. "I felt it was the ~st thing for the student government, and it kept us from taking further action," said Adrienne Aguierre. Repeated telephone messages from The Telescope to Coyle went unanswered.