The Cardinal

College Copes with Crowded Classrooms

Juliet Jones
Staff Writer
As students walk the halls of Skagit Valley College this fall it feels as if our student population has seemingly escalated.  Students crowd classrooms, hallways, and study spaces. But the feeling in this case seems to belie the actual numbers.  The current student population at Skagit Valley College is comparable to that of the more densely populated school years, such as 2002-2003.  Our current student count for the Mount Vernon Campus is, however, up only three percent from last year, with 4,387 students attending this fall quarter versus 4,258 students attending fall quarter of 2008.

Despite the relatively modest increase in the number of students, school administrators still have their hands full this year because of a decrease in the staff hired to serve the students.  As with the rest of country, budget restrictions require remaining College personnel to cover much more ground with fewer resources. The slightly higher student population and fewer staff members have combined to create some difficult obstacles. To this point, Interim Dean of Student Services, Alan Muia, observed, “Lines are longer, parking is harder to find.  I think it makes it more challenging to spend the kind of time we’d like to with students.”
The counselors are also feeling the pressure. Just this summer, one particular member of the counseling staff met with 41 students in one day. With this information came the suggestion that students make their appointments earlier and be patient while they wait.
A sense of anonymity that quite often accompanies an increase of students. Sarah Cater, a second year student at Skagit, has this to say about the rise in student numbers. “I usually see a lot of familiar faces, but this quarter I don’t feel like I know anyone.”
Administrators, food service workers, counselors, instructors, librarians, and others are working to maintain a positive, educational environment despite their daily challenges.  Administrators also suggest students can help bridge the gap between student population and available resources.  For example, students can help by picking up and cleaning up after themselves.  In short, little contributions by everyone can combine to create a better college experience for everyone.
As our student population continues to rise and resources remain tight, students and staff will have even more challenges ahead.  As with the rest of the country, Skagit Valley College can hopefully weather the storm of the current recession until better economic times relieve the pressure created by more students and fewer resources to serve those students.