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SBCC Continuing Ed
updated: Aug 30, 2012, 9:14 PM

By Edhat Subscriber

... what did you learn and what do you think about it ?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 314611P	2012-08-30 10:25 PM
Here's a Noozhawk article: http://www.noozhawk.com/article/083012_sbcc_president_fields_questions_adult-ed_changes/
COMMENT 314640	2012-08-31 07:14 AM
I have heard that they have made up their minds about the programs and the funding, just want to give the public the feeling they actually have a say in the matter. This is the first week at SBCC and tons of students are crashing classes, 17 alone for a yoga class, 10 for art history and they want to cut classes!!!
COMMENT 314657P	2012-08-31 08:03 AM
Yes, I did and I think Drs. Lori Gaskin and Jack Friedlander tried to educate the audience about the financial restrictions SBCC has from the state, but people felt some questions weren't adequately answered. Case in point, all the hundreds of thousands of dollars collected over the years as added fees charged to both adult ed and other students. If as indicated, there is a very detailed annual audit which should have tracked these monies. Why wasn't that done? That money is sitting there doing nothing for adult ed or anyone else. Time to face the music and make that available. I also want to know why SBCC is turning away basic math and science students when they should have taken those things in high school. Time to require basic math and science skills before being admitted to SBCC. Tax payers are paying for public high school educations and students must take responsibility for taking those classes before they graduate. And, high schools must fulfill their duties, too. SBCC shouldn't be the solver of all education ills at the high school level. As for the CLL, furniture should be the last thing dealt with. Adults have fared very well with the furniture we've used for years. The administration should stop trying to replace the local VISTAS program or start one of its own. Stick to adult ed and not start another VISTAS program which is a lecture series, not a hands on program, creative arts program.
COMMENT 314678	2012-08-31 08:59 AM
The Adult Ed Student Fund was always tracked and the use of this account was restricted by terms of agreement. Its use for special Adult Ed projects was overseen by the Adult Ed Citizens Advisory Council Fiscal sub-committee.
COMMENT 314718	2012-08-31 11:09 AM
OK, don’t seem to understand how it works for kids enrolling at SBCC. 1. You don’t get accepted, you enroll. 2. Every student who enrolls takes a placement test. This determines what level math or English a student will start out at. For some but not most it is remedial. Forget high school in this equation. 3. Most students are at SBCC to do general education before transferring. This is similar to general ed a student would be doing at a 4 year anyway. Depending on what major/school a student wants to pursue; that dictates what “basic science” class etc. a student needs. Essentially every student needs the same classes to move on in a timely fashion. In this day and age “adult ed” can be pursued in your own time. Google, join a club or start one yourself etc….
COMMENT 314726	2012-08-31 11:22 AM
According to SBCC Continuing Education website demographic charts, roughly 50% of SBCC adult ed is largely comprised of recreational classes for older Anglo women. The other 50% of SBCC adult ed classes are for remedial, workforce training, citizenship, ESL, adult high school school, GED, prisons. There is no one thing called SBCC Adult Ed. Attend the forums and learn more.
COMMENT 314735P	2012-08-31 11:41 AM
Could you link to those demographic charts? I took a quick look at the SBCC Continuing Ed Web site but couldn't find them.
PARKIEP	2012-08-31 11:44 AM
My friend in Reno is involved in a terrific program there. It really seems to be comparable to what we used to have here. They've gotten huge grants, and pay little or nothing for the classes. The web sites are - http://usm.maine.edu/olli/national/about.jsp. http://www.osherfoundation.org/ I'd welcome the chance to get more info to the right people, but I don't know where to start
COMMENT 314755P	2012-08-31 01:07 PM
I also would like to see those demographic charts. If they are gathering and using information from the enrollment cards, could be they are misusing that voluntary information. I'd also like to know the definition of "recreational" classes -- I've never taken a jewelry or other craft class but seems that many of those students use the skills learned to make a living or at least a supplementary living. I and friends have done that with some of the computer classes. True, they're recreational in the sense of non-degree but for some of us, they help pay the living expenses here in Santa Barbara.
COMMENT 314802	2012-08-31 03:40 PM
I was at the meeting yesterday evening and I'll have to say it was painful to watch two career public servants (and I mean that in a good way) trying to sell those in attendance on the libertarian fantasy that is the Center for Lifelong Learning. I mean, really, an 'entrepreneurial enterprise'. It sounds like something from the Department of Redundancy Department. The two presenters have been given the sorry task of informing the Santa Barbara community that we are throwing the four plus decade adult Ed program under the bus. It's interesting to note that when the more traditional public education community needs money they have no problem asking the taxpayers for more (check your November ballot for measures 30, 38, A and B), but when it comes to adult Ed their first choice is user fees. Perhaps we need some linkage between the passage measures A and B and funding for adult Ed.
COMMENT 314817	2012-08-31 04:39 PM
Osher Foundation money was available only for universities; not community colleges. Osher has also stopped funding new senior adult ed programs which only covered the program administrator and start up costs. Osher life-long learning programs were constructed to use volunteers for both teaching and administration. Some of Osher's ideas could work for the SBCC Center for Life Long Learning: Seed money to start the SBCCCenter for Life Long Learning; volunteer administrators and instructors; and charging initial registration fees to participate in the program could make the Osher model work here. Parcel taxes A&B are restricted to K-12 uses and cannot be applied to SBCC Adult Ed. SBCC adult ed can put a parcel tax before the voters to fund the SBCC Center for LifeLong Learning. Seniors have the advantage of being able to vote for a SBCC Center parcel tax, but can get a waiver based upon age and opt out of paying for it.
COMMENT 314834	2012-08-31 06:20 PM
SBCC still offers free non-credit short-term business development programs along with many other critical areas of adult learning. Anyone needing non-credit classes to help them open and run a business is exactly the kind of student the state wants to support with their free workforce development classes. High-quality instructors and administrators are necessary to develop and manage these programs. There is no end of SBCC Adult Ed, as some are claiming. The only change is some categories of non-credit classes will no longer be free. Charging modest fees for these classes is something the community has long felt is the right thing to do. Every year tuition goes up for credit students. It is only fair now for non-credit students to also pitch in. The new model will be energized by new classes, new instructors and open new life-long possibilities for everyone. The state will be happy. The community will be happy. Give it a chance.
COMMENT 314879P	2012-09-01 08:43 AM
I mostly agree with 834. CE, or "Adult Ed" as we like to call it, can still be vibrant and the crown jewel for the SB community.The way it will be administered will change, and hopefully for the better. Community members should attend one of these forums and voice your support, concerns, questions, suggestions, etc.The CE program is the arm of SBCC that serves the local residents the most. The credit division is an excellent program geared mostly for the younger student (18-22) who is planning on continuing their education. A person of any age or differing educational plans can and should take credit classes, but it's clear that the powers that be aren't concerned with life enrichment students at the main campus. A previous comment mentioned some statistics. Here's one for you: Most of the credit students, over 2/3's, are from outside of the SB area. (Don't jump to conclusions - only a small percentage of those are international.) Credit students impact our community a lot, in good and bad ways. CE students already live here (mostly) and they stay here, year after year, contributing to the community and the college in many ways. Let's support our CE program - and the local residents who depend on this great program for lifelong learning - by being engaged in the dialogue and contributing helpful recommendations for the inevitable changes about to take place.
COMMENT 314900	2012-09-01 09:40 AM
SBCC enrollment is close to the current self-imposed enrollment limit of 8% for international students. The number of international students has gradually increased over the past few years as a means of balancing the SBCC budget. SBCC is also actively encouraging more out-of-state students to enroll, because like international students they pay full fee for their tuition.
COMMENT 315307	2012-09-02 03:29 PM
Intentionally recruiting more out-of-state and international SBCC credit students, so local seniors get to keep taking free SBCC non-credit classes does not sound like a good plan.

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