With the beginning of the semester in hand, students are busy with textbooks, waitlists, and fees. However, administrators are also busy with these things and have something more to worry about.

Statewide, the Full Time Equivalents Student (FTES), also known as calculated students, has a loss of 321,000 students, and Bakersfield College could suffer some financial losses because the college’s FTES quota is down an estimated 0.8 percen, as of Jan. 30.

According to BC President William Andrews, the state of California sets a base number of FTES for colleges to achieve. “If that base number is not achieved, the college receives less funding,” said Andrews. In light of the situation, Andrews decided to form a “task force” to address the drop of FTES.

One member of the task force, Vice President of Student Learning Mildred Lovato, said the marketing of the college is “a small piece of the puzzle” in order to raise the college’s FTES.

According to Lovato, posters and other advertisements are well on their way, the main targets being high school students and graduates. The advertisements promote the college’s Career Path Programs, such as nursing, digital arts, culinary arts and agriculture, as well as the new transfer degree being offered.

Another key element in solving the FTES problem, according to Lovato, is knowing the needs of the community. According to an e-mail sent out by Lisa Fitzgerald, institutional research analist, an estimated 10.9% increase has occurred in class sections being offered this semester on the BC campus in comparison to the spring semester of 2005, which means that more classes are being offered so that more students may be accommodated.

In the idea of accommodating more students, there is the possibility of “bringing the college to the students,” said Andrews.

According to Lovato “it is absolutely necessary, when the district covers 25,000 square miles,” to have educational facilities closer to students. Facilities are being looked at in the area of Lamont and Arvin, and currently there are classes being offered at Stockdale High School.

Also the idea of having late semester classes is being looked into but not guaranteed. Andrews, however, is looking toward innovative and creative ideas in which to offer classes in the summer semester that students need.

Vice President of Student Services Ken Meier said that the college is doing “everything within our budget restrictions” to bring up the percentage of FTES. Meier believes that one of the main reasons for the fall of FTES in Bakersfield is that the education system is having to compete with the work force, that is to say more students are working more hours and their education is being cut back.

However, Meier said he believes that students will continue to work toward their education and that the BC faculty and administrators are “committed to help the community by adding more students to their classes and teaching more classes.” He also added that he is confident that BC will “exceed the enrollment target.”