Students feeling CLC cuts
All Ezekiel McDermott wants to do is use the Central Lakes College computer lab to do his homework and work out a little in the college's weight room.
But the 28-year-old CLC student and others have found themselves struggling against changes at the college created mostly because of the $1.4 million in budget cuts that CLC has had to make because of reduced state funding.
Central Lakes College student Ezekiel McDermott spoke Thursday about the need for expanded computer lab hours during the summer session in the lab. The computer lab, which has reduced hours this summer in part because of college budget cuts, was closed Thursday because of tile work being completed in front of the lab entrance. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls » Purchase reprints of this photo.
McDermott, who transferred to CLC from Century Lakes College this summer, soon discovered how difficult it can be to use a computer on campus during summer session. He is in class from 9-11:45 a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. The campus computer lab is open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday while the CLC library computers are available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.
McDermott has found he only has an hour in the morning and about an hour after class to work on his assignments because of the reduced computer hours. He can't work in the lab Thursday night or weekends because he works and doesn't own a personal computer. Many of his instructors post study guides and assignments online, so in addition to having to write essays he needs the computer to access pertinent classroom information.
Frustrated by the lack of available resources and worried that he might do poorly in his classes, McDermott took his concerns to other students and to various college officials. As of Thursday he had 77 signatures from other CLC summer students on a petition who share his concerns.
"We pay the same tuition as the people in the fall and summer and all the computer labs close early," said McDermott. "I take school very seriously. I was not very good in high school and now finding God and going back to school feels good and it's challenging to me. I want to do as well as everyone else in the class but I don't have the opportunity.
"I got an A-minus in my psych class (during first summer session) but I know I would have gotten a solid A," McDermott said, if he had more computer access. "All the pretests and practice tests were online."
McDermott said he's been writing out his essays by hand and then typing them when he's at the computer lab. Even then, he said he's not the fastest typist so it takes time. He also wants to work out in the weight room but found that was closed for summer because of a lack of funding for student workers who need to supervise the weight room.
Kelly McCalla, dean of liberal arts and sciences, noticed a distraught McDermott in the hallway at CLC one day and offered to drive him to the Brainerd Public Library to finish an assignment. McDermott doesn't have a car but bikes to school. McDermott took him up on the offer but this isn't necessarily a viable alternative for him since the public library only allows patrons to sign up for a half-hour on the computer at a time and he would need more time than that.
"I didn't pay my tuition to the library, I paid my tuition to the school," said McDermott. "I shouldn't have to go to the library. I'm just hoping they put one more staff person in the computer room for six more hours a week."
"It has a lot to do with the $1.4 million in budget cuts," McCalla said of McDermott's dilemma. "We're doing what we can but $1.4 million for a college this size is a lot to cut. But if this is a real need for students we need to find a way to address it. We find a lot of students have laptops and computers at home so we don't find a huge demand at night but with the budget cuts we've had to pair back a lot of things."
McCalla said when the fiscal year began July 1, some funding has been available to staff the weight room with a student worker on a limited hours basis. He also said there are some programs, like the federally funded TRIO program, that can help first generation college students who qualify with resources like a laptop computer and he said he recommended the program to McDermott.
Michael Amick, dean of academic and technology services, said he has tried to take steps to open the computer lab for longer summer hours but the college has seen a cut in funding for workstudy hours for students to man the lab. He said the computer lab was initially slated to be open until 3:30 p.m. but they've been able to have it open until 4:30 p.m. most days. He said a student survey last spring found that 77 percent of CLC students primarily access online course materials off campus and 65 percent of those students own their own laptop or computer while 7 percent said CLC didn't have enough computers to access on campus.
Mike Reem, Aitkin, who was laid off from his sales position in April, returned to school at CLC to take courses to renew his teaching license. He said he usually only had his lunch hour to use the computer lab before it closes.
"You're paying the same tuition and you're not getting the same services," Reem said of attending summer school versus fall or spring semesters. "If they're not going to provide those services, we should get a break on those services. I think that's a logical thing."
"I'm frustrated," said Michelle Johnson, who is enrolled in the nursing program at CLC. "We should be able to go in there and use the computers like the fall and spring. CLC is taking that tuition out and we should have access to it. This is very inconvenient."
McDermott's tuition bill for summer session shows that he paid a $45.40 activity fee, a $63 technology fee and a $14 facility access fee.
"If these are budget cuts, then why don't they cut the fees then?" asked McDermott.
CLC President Larry Lundblad said the fees go for a variety of services at the college, not just for funding the computer labs. He said the change in hours for the labs is driven mostly by the cutbacks in resources for student workers.
"We've had to make some changes because of budgets so students are starting to feel those impacts," said Lundblad. "Obviously, we want to maintain as many services as we can and we'll be taking a look at lab hours and availability. We are looking at alternatives to help students who are getting caught in the situation."
Lundblad said he was "a little bit surprised" at the number of students who have signed McDermott's petition and hopes to provide him and other students with assistance in resolving the program.
"We want to make sure the public understands we're going to do everything we can to ensure we keep the level of services needed as much as we can," said Lundblad.
In the meantime, McDermott is enthusiastic for the second summer session to begin Monday. He said he mostly got Cs and Ds while in high school and has had a renewed outlook on life since his August 2007 accident when he broke his neck while diving into a lake. Fortunately, he was not paralyzed in the accident.
"God's got a reason," said McDermott. "I'm doing good and I really am giving it my all. I like the people and teachers here. The only thing is if it's about the funding, then charge us less."
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.