Budget Cuts Result in Summer-Quarter Class Reductions at Cal Poly; Continuing Education to Offer 'Summer Special Session'

In the context of budget reductions from the state of California, the CSU Chancellor’s Office has allocated an enrollment reduction of 5 percent to all campuses for 2004-05. At Cal Poly this means a reduction of about 900 college year full-time equivalent Students (FTES) below the current year, according to Vice Provost for Institutional Planning and Analysis Linda Dalton.

To maintain stability in enrollments during the academic year, particularly for the entering undergraduate class, Cal Poly has decided to take this reduction by limiting the courses to be taught with state funds to a minimum for summer quarter 2004 only, she said.

“Because summer classes are relatively more expensive to teach, this action allows the instructional colleges to use their reduced budgets to offer the most effective schedules for their students during fall, winter and spring quarters,” she explained.

In response to this action, Cal Poly Continuing Education will increase its offerings, particularly classes to help currently enrolled students progress in their degree programs. More information on these “Summer Special Session” courses will be accessible from the Cal Poly home page at www.calpoly.edu and from the portal at my.calpoly.edu (for Cal Poly users), as details become available. The class schedule for summer will be prepared over the next several weeks.

Dalton emphasized that students registering for spring classes should be aware of the change for summer 2004 and talk with their advisers about critically needed classes. “The change in summer may affect decisions about which courses students take this spring quarter, if they are close to graduating,” she said.

“It is important to recognize that this is a short-term action being taken due to budget circumstances, and that Cal Poly will resume full year-round operations subsequently,” she added.

Contact: Linda Dalton, (805) 756-2185