Saddleback student’s standards soon to change.
With the increase of over 2,500 new students, pressure is put not only on class availability but other aspects of campus life.
Take parking, for example. It is nightmare in its own right. Now with additional students rushing to classes, Saddleback’s parking lots resemble the Interstate 5 North on a Friday afternoon. Gridlock, lack of spaces, and the increase of parking space stalkers expend frustration that starts brewing before students even enter campus.
If the parking lot situation does not affect you, perhaps the huge back order of books will.
Has the library ever been out of the book you need? Of course it has. It has happened to everyone. Except now, you are on piranha patrol hoping to beat everyone else to the punch when your book does come in.
Some books are in such high demand the library has been offering out digitalized book websites and even used book websites for support.
And what about class sizes? Does a high student-to-teacher ratio equal a greater learning experience per capita? One would argue it does not.
To avoid a ramble onto each and every aspect of campus life the increase affects, and they are numerous, it can be boiled down to a simple statement. The student increase puts a strain onto everyone, and it needs to be alleviated.
A parking structure in lot 5 could release some of the tension. An increase in professors will provide more classes. Off campus classes can reduce student-to-teacher ratio. Professors can recommend support material for unavailable books or even create their own like many already have.
There are numerous precautions and reactions to take toward the increase, but for now, the best advice is to grin, bear it, and be prepared to make a lot of new friends. With funding as it is and the economic climate, this won’t be the last of the increase in the community college population.