Budget cuts and enrollment reduction at Sacramento State could result in lower fees for students who wish to enroll in summer courses, said Larry Glasmire, director of enrollment analysis.

– Proposed budget cuts require the university to reduce enrollment by 5 percent during the 2004-05 academic year. The summer program accounts for 5 percent of the year’s enrollment. To achieve the enrollment reduction, the summer program will be supported entirely by the College of Continuing Education, eliminating state funding.

-“By moving the summer program to the College of Continuing Education, we can expect to accommodate the same number of students in the fall and spring,” Glasmire said.

-For students, the changes in the summer program could result in a reduction of fees when compared with last year’s summer program. Students will be charged using a per-unit fee structure, and will pay $99 for each undergraduate unit.

-“Students will pay no more than they would with the state-supported program, and in some cases, less,” Glasmire said.

-Other changes in the summer semester include the College of Continuing Education’s policy for canceling low-enrolled classes.

-Alice Tom, dean of the College of Continuing Education, anticipates canceling few, if any, classes.

-“The College of Continuing Education can run classes with a lower number of students,” Tom said, comparing her department’s summer program with the state-supported program.

-Canceling a course during the summer semester is largely based on the faculty salary structure.

-“The state-support program needed a full class to afford to pay the instructor,” Glasmire said, adding that the College of Continuing Education bases faculty salary on the number of students enrolled in a course.

-With the new summer program, lower enrollment could equal a lower salary for the instructor. However, Tom said he is optimistic that many instructors will be willing to teach a class that is not full. Before the summer session begins, the College of Continuing Education will know which instructors will be willing to teach the classes with lower enrollment.

-Though the College of Continuing Education will create changes within the program, some faculty members believe that students will not notice the changes.

-“The transition should be pretty transparent,” said Nancy Tooker, associate dean of the college of arts and letters. “The new program will be very similar to the old summer semester.”

-Tooker said that the changes in the summer program will mostly serve to benefit students.

-“Under the circumstances with the budget restrictions, this was probably the best way to handle it, so the situation would come out all right for everybody,” Tooker said.

-Glasmire said the summer program will continue to exist under the College of Continuing Education for an extended period of time.

-“Personally, I wouldn’t see it moving back to state support for a long time,” Glasmire said. “Certainly not next summer; beyond that, it’s hard to say.”

– Students can register April 19 through May 5 through CASPER for the summer semester. Additional information regarding registration will be posted March 8 on Sac State’s Web site.

–