CHULA VISTA – Southwestern College students seeking an Associate Degree will have the option of completing their General Education requirements on the weekends in just two semesters, under a program being launched with the new spring semester beginning Jan. 21.
All of the courses in the new Weekend College program are transferable to both the California State University and the University of California systems.
“This is all about improving student access,” said Kathy Tyner, Southwestern College’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “There are a lot of working people who are not available to take classes from Monday to Friday.”
Weekend College also will make it easier for high school seniors who are winding down their studies to take a couple classes on the weekends to get a head start on earning an Associate Degree, Tyner added.
Spring course offerings include College Composition (English 115-60) on Friday nights; World Religions (Philosophy 106-50) on Saturday mornings; and World Regional Geography (Geography 106-50) on Saturday afternoons. Fall offerings will include Public Speaking (Communication 104) on Friday nights; Human Heredity, Evolution, Society (Biology 180) on Saturday mornings; and Intercultural Communication (Communications 176) on Saturday afternoons.
Weekend College classes begin Friday, Jan. 23.
Tyner said plans call for the program to expand, depending on demand. “This is just the beginning,” Tyner said.
This is not the first time Southwestern College has offered weekend classes. In fact, Southwestern offered several weekend courses in specialized subjects. But a more expansive program that included General Education classes was eliminated several years ago during a time of severe state budget cuts.
Those days are clearly over.
Weekend College is just one of several efforts aimed at boosting student access and success at Southwestern College this spring. Other efforts include an unprecedented expansion of student tutoring services set to launch in the spring semester, thanks to $400,000 in funding from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
The grant will fund 40-50 tutors to work with professors to target struggling students in 40 Basic Skills classes, more than doubling the number of courses at Southwestern College with “embedded tutors.”
Southwestern College also is investing $10,500 annually in another new effort using eTutoring.org, an online platform where tutors work with students in real time. The online tutors reply to questions and essay submissions that students have left for review and commentary in courses ranging from accounting to web development. That initiative also goes into full effect this spring semester.
For more information on Weekend College, contact Annette Aguilar in Academic Affairs at 619-421-6700, ext. 5673.
