So I'm sure it's no secret that the economy is in the crapper. After the $30 million mid-year cuts that hit Long Beach City College which resulted in massive lay-offs and a shortage of important classes, signing up for a full schedule in the Fall 2012 semester was way easier said than done.

Now, the school is facing another $2.1 million cut which will take effect once the Spring 2013 semester rolls around. There are a grand total of 19 programs under review, including 30 FULL-TIME teaching positions. The way the review process works, allegedly, is that the Board of Trustees takes into consideration the local job market and demand for a trade and if it isn't sufficient the program will be cut.

Programs that don’t end up on the chopping block may be forced to downsize and merge with others on the block i.e. film merging with the radio and television program. While it might sound like those two could be merged, it would be like saying Long Beach and San Pedro should become one city because they both face the ocean.

The programs under review are as follows:
Air-conditioning and refrigeration repair
Sheet metal
Computer proficiency for academic success
Diagnostic medical imaging
Diesel mechanics
Human services
Recording arts
Real estate
Interior design
Medical assisting
Photography
Aviation maintenance
Automotive technology
Auto body repair
Carpentry
Welding
Physical geography
Film
Radio and television

The sad part is that the $2.1 million cut would actually be dwarfed by the possible $10+ million cut we will take on if Proposition 30 doesn't pass on the Nov. 6 ballot.

While all of this is going on, tuition has raised to $46 per unit. Both campuses are under construction, though it seems as if there will be tons of new classrooms with no actual class to fill them. The semester now runs 16 weeks instead of 18 to better accommodate a winter session offered. Currently there are NO Winter classes scheduled, meaning the administration will be getting paid while not one class is in session.

How is it possible that the students are paying more to go to a school that is constantly shrinking in course offerings, yet growing in physical space? Why is LBCC looking to get rid of a lot of the trades? What do you think some possible solutions to this problem would be?