Gavilan College is searching for ways to continue offering its
expensive Community Education courses, after the program once again
created a drain on the school
’s coffers.
Gavilan College is searching for ways to continue offering its expensive Community Education courses, after the program once again created a drain on the school’s coffers.
The program, started more than 16 years ago, offers educational and enrichment courses to the community at large, not for credit, but has cost Gavilan College money throughout its existence.
Gavilan lost about $113,662 last school year offering classes outside its core academic curriculum, $11,000 more than in 2002-03. That figure includes 11 months of data and could improve, said Rachel Perez, the program’s administrator.
“At community ed, we’re constantly trying to figure out what we can change in order to offer what is valuable to this community,” said Perez in her annual report to the Gavilan board. “The bottom line, it’s a business and it’s a business in a college setting, which is really conflicting.”
Classes offered through Community Education range from conversational sign language to computer classes. Gavilan also offers two children’s programs through Community Education, which traditionally break even.
The program’s best year was 2000-01, although it still cost the college nearly $60,000. Last year, Community Education generated $458,839, $1,877 more than 2002, but cost $572,501.
Motorcycling training, traffic school, computer skills courses and childcare classes are some other areas that traditionally experience a high demand and produced healthy revenue.
One way Perez hopes to increase revenue next year is by contracting out certain job training or re-training to local businesses.
