The next semester for Community Education and Kids College comes with changes; from a loss of a staff member to fewer selections offered.
Delta College’s Community Education and Kids College programs offer classes to build skills in those subjects and more.
“We are one of the few community colleges that offer three terms worth of community and kids education,” said Community Education Coordinator Claudia Mackey.
Recently, though, the district board of trustees recommended the consolidation of the two programs due to declining enrollment, meaning one member of the two-person support staff will not return next term.
The number of people enrolled in the courses offered is not enough to support the salary and benefits for both staff members of the program, said Mackey.
As a self-supporting program which does not receive any funding from the college or the state of California, the Community Education program offers non-credit, no grade courses for adults and kids.
The consolidation means long-time Kids College Coordinator Beverley Dierking could be laid off. Her last day would be June 30.
“During her time here in community education, Bev has helped to grow the program greatly,” said Mackey.
She has worked with charter schools and high schools to get General Education Degree (G.E.D.) classes offered, after they were cut from the college budget. Dierking has also brought in SAT test, a standardized test for college admissions, preparation courses and helped recruit Delta College faculty to teach courses for the Kids College.”
This is not the first time the program has had to face cuts, in 2011 the senior office assistant was transferred to Financial Aid, and the program had to adjust to working with part time secretaries and eventually federal work study students.
As the office faces administrative cuts there will be no effect on the courses offered to the community, said Mackey.
As the consolidation heads to the board of trustees in the coming days the Community Education staff is still planning for the summer semester and offering a wide variety of courses to everyone within the community.
“The program will have to downsize accordingly, but it is left in good hands,” said Dierking.
