Classes with low enrollment should never get canceled, although some might agree that doing so saves the school from financial issues and enhances productivity. However, class cancellation affects students and faculty in various ways.
It is unfair for the students who waited to attend the class, and for the teachers, who spent their time creating coursework for those classes only to see their hard work go to waste.
It’s problematic for the students because, as an Ed Source article states, “Cancelling community college classes is shortsighted.”
“Canceling these classes is devastating for individual students who are already trying to balance work, life, and schooling. Losing a course after signing up creates another hurdle that is often too high for them to overcome.”
An opinion article from Santa Barbara City Colleges’ news publication, The Channels, states that the drawbacks of class cancellations or offering some classes once a year include a delay in students’ graduation plans.
“The inaccessibility of classes can push some students back an entire semester, throwing off previously devised plans and forcing people to make separate arrangements.”
Moreover, the article also sheds light on the fact that it creates fewer earning opportunities for the teachers.
“Professors planning on receiving income from teaching multiple courses are now left empty-handed and are required to find a way to make do with the pay they are given.”
According to the same article by Ed Source, the class cancellation policy results in the loss of adjunct faculty.
“The secondary effect of these class cancellations is a significant loss of faculty, especially within the ranks of part-time faculty. Our community colleges rely heavily on part-time faculty.”
The district should consider allowing smaller class sizes instead of canceling them. The maximum size of students impacts their learning abilities and teachers’ workload.
Smaller class sizes improve student-teacher relationships, according to Furman University. Moreover, it also enhances productivity instead of getting distracted.
Furthermore, there should also be more transparency for the students regarding class availability, and the school should provide an alternative measure to ensure that the students’ or professors’ needs and wants are acknowledged.
