The Associated Students of Ventura College (ASVC) unanimously consented to a motion on Jan. 19 that will fund additional classes for the 2010 six-week summer session at Ventura College.
Classes for the summer session will include English Composition, College Algebra, Plane Trigonometry and Introduction to Speech Communications.
“These are the classes students need. Those are for students directly affected,” said ASVC Senator Raymond Morua.
Morua and ASVC Student Representative Trevor Zeirhut headed the plan for the ASVC’s funding of summer classes. While other numbers were negotiated, the amount of $20,000 to fund the four extra classes was settled on and endorsed by ASVC’s Budget Committee on Jan. 22.
“It’s exhilarating,” said Zeirhut. “We threw other things aside to take care of this.”
According to Executive Vice President of Student Learning Ramiro Sanchez, the additional courses were chosen by the Board of Deans based on the classes that were previously cut from the summer session, as well as the needs of the students. These classes are all General Education courses that are required for transferring.
In addition to the $20,00 already contributed by ASVC, Zeirhut and Morua hope to raise an additional $20,000 to $30,000 through fundraising and donations.
“We’re hoping our own donation will get others to help too,” said Zeirhut. “We’re glad to be helping the students.”
News of the contribution and increase in summer classes has resulted in come positive feedback from the student population.
John Loest, an 18-year-old architecture major said, “I’m definitely going to be taking summer courses. That’s great they’re helping out.”
Morua and Zeirhut plan to visit classes in order to inform students about the additional summer courses that are being offered. Their hope is that it will boost student morale after the budget cuts and the loss of the four-week summer session.
“We want students to know we are here to represent them,” said Morua.
Zeirhut agrees that the ASVC is trying to help the students any way they can.
“We’re just trying to do what we can in a bad situation.”
