SFSU officials say school made ‘mistake’ canceling classes days before semester

Even SF State is part of San Fran DOOM LOOP.

“While SFSU cut hundreds of classes in the spring semester due to budget cuts across the California State University system and the loss of pandemic relief funds, SFSU officials said the number of classes canceled the last week of August is tied to low enrollment — or low interest — in those specific classes.

King said the classes were canceled because eight or fewer students enrolled in the courses, but that it was a “mistake” on the part of the university to cancel them so close to the start of a new semester.

Affected students were offered alternative courses specific to their major and none of the canceled classes were prerequisites or “required courses for graduation,” he said. SFSU canceled two English classes, two journalism classes, two political- science classes, a creative- writing class, and a women and gender studies class, among others.”

Every sector of San Fran life is collapsing.  Who will turn out the lights?  Oh, the lights will already be off, since the city would be able to pay the electric bill.

SFSU officials say school made ‘mistake’ canceling classes days before semester

By Allyson Aleksey, SF Examiner, 9/9/24   https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/education/sfsu-says-class-cuts-so-close-to-fall-semester-a-mistake/article_5390c15c-6f02-11ef-a28b-1b663951afde.html

San Francisco State University officials say it was a “mistake” for the school to cancel nearly two dozen classes three days before the fall semester began late last month, adding that low enrollment necessitated the cuts.

The university canceled 21 classes Aug. 23, 17 of which were in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts. SFSU is offering 3,454 sections this semester, according to officials.

“Even though it was a relatively small number of courses, the hope is that we don’t ever have to cancel courses close to the start of the semester,” SFSU Spokesperson Bobby King told The Examiner. “We’re working to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

ext

Stay

to (225p)

225p

360p

Subtitles Off

Subtitles EN

Up Next

While SFSU cut hundreds of classes in the spring semester due to budget cuts across the California State University system and the loss of pandemic relief funds, SFSU officials said the number of classes canceled the last week of August is tied to low enrollment — or low interest — in those specific classes.

King said the classes were canceled because eight or fewer students enrolled in the courses, but that it was a “mistake” on the part of the university to cancel them so close to the start of a new semester.

Affected students were offered alternative courses specific to their major and none of the canceled classes were prerequisites or “required courses for graduation,” he said. SFSU canceled two English classes, two journalism classes, two political- science classes, a creative- writing class, and a women and gender studies class, among others.

“With differences in enrollment, there are still seats to meet student demand, and staff worked with students who needed to find replacement sections or courses,” King said.

Ex // Top Stories

SFSU and the wider California State University system are contending with staggering enrollment declines that have forced class and staff cuts in recent years.

The system recorded an enrollment decline of 6.5% between 2019 and 2022. SFSU experienced a 25% decrease in freshman enrollment between 2017 and 2021.

University President Lynn Mahoney told EdSource earlier this year that the university would restructure courses with actual enrollment.

Shabnam Piryaei, a Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts professor, told Golden Gate Xpress, the college’s student newspaper, that one of her classes was cut unexpectedly.

“It’s like a loop is happening,” she told the student paper. “People aren’t getting the classes they need, and then we lose students leading to more cuts in classes.”

Piryaei did not respond to an interview request from The Examiner.

SF State faculty hosted a one-day strike late last year to protest impending class cuts and a tuition increase, which the CSU Board of Trustees approved in September 2023. The tuition hike increases tuition 6% per year for five years — or roughly $342 per student each academic year — beginning this semester.