State budget leaves little hope

This fall semester Cosumnes River College has had students and faculty feeling overwhelmed with stricter payment regulations, cuts in classes and difficulties enrolling into waitlisted classes.

Because of the state budget crisis, state funding to CRC ceased in July this year, leaving the campus to rely on its own savings and funds and resulting in a cut of 800 classes and a new cap on the amount of students that can be added into a class.

This has left many students stuck on waitlists and those trying to add classes without being on the waitlist or enrolled not much hope.    

Both students and faculty have been experiencing the frustration ensued from this crisis.

"Students need to understand that we have no choice," said Zisk. "Philosophically, we want to, but the reality is we can't and it hurts us, as instructors, that we can't add students.

A sign outside Zisk's office states "Who are you and what have you done with Professor Zisk?" Zisk said he has always added every student in the past but this semester he simply can't because of the regulations. 

Not only have classes been difficult to add but the enrollment process itself has been problematic for some. 

Topher Steiner, an 18-year-old undecided major said he received a permission number that did not work for one of his classes.

"I had to keep coming to the college when I needed to pay for a class or add a class because I had so many problems with eServices," said Steiner.

A criminal justice major Jade Ross, 18, also received a permission number that did not work for a math class she was waitlisted on and when she went for help her counselor accidently dropped her from the class.

With the lack of funding, it is difficult to find a solution to the mass amount of problems.

"They should cut the list down or have a limited amount of students to add to stop giving them false hope," said Mary Huizar, a 19-year-old undecided major.   

Although there are many obstacles students and faculty face this semester, all they can do is tough out the semester together. 

"It sucks, I know their position. My son is going through the same thing right now," said Mitch Darnell, a psychology professor at CRC.  "But I mean, CRC has no choice. There's no money so there's nothing more we can do."