The Academic Development Department is redesigning its curriculum with new and innovative ways to serve the almost 2,000 students scheduled to be displaced from the loss of the department’s three lowest level courses in math, writing and reading, according to department chair Dr. Kimberly Van Horne.
The administration’s decision to cut the sections will save several hundred thousand dollars but Van Horne feels these cuts are being taken too close to the students.
“We feel strongly that these courses are still needed and are fighting continuously to make sure that the students are still served, and that the cuts do not affect the students to the degree that this is happening right now.”
Academic Development courses are critical to many Bakersfield College students’ academic success.
“About 75 percent of students that enroll, who either return or are just out of high school, are in need of at least one or more remedial course,” she said.
“What’s going to happen is that if they can’t get a course in ACDV, they’re going to find themselves out there in courses that they’re even less prepared for then they already are. It’s just critical that we completely make a decision across campus that we’re going to support these student and not just let them fail.”
“Students are assigned to the Academic Development program through placement exams, but some students skip the exams and take courses they’re not prepared for academically to be really successful in their college experience,” she said. “We’re pulling them back over to our area where we can help increase the retention and success rates, and not just in our department which is already strong, but on campus where they’re already struggling.”
Van Horne said the department redesign process involves looking at other success models, institutions, and college’s strategies to see how we can be more efficient, innovative, and effective, which will help students be more successful in achieving their academic and occupational goals.
She explained a campus-wide commitment is needed ensuring support, not only for her students, but all the students across campus.
“It’s a big concern for us, and that’s why we feel like Academic Development support is more necessary than ever before,” she said.
“I mean, we have students coming in unprepared and that’s increasing, it’s not decreasing.”
Van Horne is reaching out to other disciplines on campus including psychology, culinary arts and welding, with not only the Critical Academic Skills Workshops that are currently online, but with new links courses that support and serve students with math, writing, or reading needs in new and different type formats.
In Spring 2013, new pilot programs are due to come online, so students should check the catalog, the schedule, and their emails, or drop by the Academic Development Department to get the latest information on available classes and class support.
“I want to let students know what’s coming up and that courses that they’re used to seeing on the schedule aren’t going to be on the schedule,” she said.
“We’re working toward fixing the problem of what’s been created through budget cuts by servicing the students, just in a different way.”
The Student Success Computer Lab, Tutoring Center, and Writing Center are open regular hours, and all BC students are encouraged to come in and take advantage of the free services with professional instructors and tutors. The Critical Academic Skills Workshops are also ongoing with a schedule on the Inside BC portal.
The Academic Development Department is located on the second and third floors, on the west end of the Jerry Ludeke Learning Center in Student Services.