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Dean tries to save college's deep water running class
Budget necessitated program cut
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Photo by James Glover II
"It's been my salvation to be able to move," said Barbara Sorem, left. "It's a rehabilitation medium. I've had four neck surgeries." Working out with her in the Ventura College pool is Barbara Rogers. Both are from Santa Paula.
Photo by James Glover II
Barbara Rogers exercises with her class. Changing the designation from a college class to a Community Education division course may help.
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More from Education: CollegeA life raft may be headed for a water fitness class that fell to budget cuts.
When she learned her Deep Water Running class was going to be eliminated from the Ventura College spring schedule, water fitness instructor Lynn Singer Shuler decided she had to do something.
"It's definitely a family. It's more than just exercise to a lot of us," Shuler said. "We have some students who have physical challenges, and Deep Water Running is the only thing they can do."
Barbara Sorem, 61, of Santa Paula, has been taking the class for seven years.
"It's been my salvation to be able to move," she said. "It's a rehabilitation medium. I've had four neck surgeries."
But with the state facing a multibillion dollar deficit and more budget cuts likely for the college district, officials looked for underperforming classes they could eliminate in the next semester.
The agreement between the Ventura County Community College District and the American Federation of Teachers requires at least 15 students be signed up for a class. There were more than 15 students in the 2008 spring semester Deep Water Running class, but the majority were signed up through the Community Education arm of the college.
"That doesn't help us in college enrollment numbers," said Larry Barrett, Ventura College Aquatics Center director.
But Community Education could be the answer for the class. Shuler learned if she changes the class's designation from a college physical education class to a Community Education division course, students may still be able to use the college pool. The problem is, Shuler didn't learn her class had been cut until after the deadline had passed to ask that it be designated a Community Education class.
"All of the classes need to be approved by the board, and the spring classes have already gone to bid," said Dr. Karen Gorback, coordinator for Community Education at Ventura College.
Tim Harrison, dean of Health, Physical Science, and Athletics, said he would see what he could do. He plans to meet with the Community Education department this week, he said.
As a college course, students can take Shuler's class up to four times through Ventura College. After that, they can take it as many times as they like through Community Education, which offers many Ventura College classes to all members of the community.
"Some of my students I've had the whole time I've been here, and I've been teaching there for 14 years," Shuler said.
The Deep Water Running class was among five spring semester classes cut from the Physical Education Department. Four of the five classes were in aquatics; the other was a triathlon conditioning class.
"I've had to cut classes from our programs across the board," said Romero Sanchez, executive vice president, Student Learning. "I directed each of the deans to identify five classes from their respective areas to delete in the rollover from '08 to '09."
Harrison said he also plans to see if any of the other eliminated physical education classes might be moved to Community Education.
Nothing is final yet, but Shuler said she is hopeful. "I love my students, and they're very kind and loyal," she said. "We're trying to find a way to stick together."
— In the interest of full disclosure, the reporter is also in this semester's Deep Water Running class.
Posted by tweetybyrdrt on December 1, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How mant times do you need to attend a class to learn how to run across the bottom of the pool? Is this what our tax dollars are paying for? Possibly the basket weavers will have more open slots in the pool now.
Posted by newshound on December 1, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a liberal, I have to admit that California has been utterly irresponsible in its spending habits. Barrack Obama is going to show that liberalism can also mean spending within ones means - on the right things AND not with borrowed money. Bill Clinton did the same. In California we are going to see a number of horrendous cuts due to fiscal mismanagement by our legislature. This is partially due to term limits. The professional politicians are gone. We now have inexperienced people who come in, pass spending bills and leave - paying for the mess is someone else's problem.
George Bush shows that fiscal irresponsibility is not the shame of any one party. He has spent this country into a hole that we may never get out of.
You can't spend what you don't have.
Posted by tweetybyrdrt on December 1, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
newshound, way to stay on point.
Posted by opns on December 1, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
tweetybyrdrt - obviously you don't have arthritis, you'd be singing a different tune birdy.
Posted by CollegeProf on December 1, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
people are not taking this class to learn "to run accross the bottom of the pool". Read the article. OR BETTER YET: take a reading & comprehension course at Ventura College!
Posted by NowHearThis on December 1, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't get "newshound's" point on the pool topic. I get his displeasure with his fellow DEMS in Sacto who are wasting away the CA dream.
As for the therapy class; I think it's a valuable class for young and old alike. This is a great exercise class, just like weightlifting would be.
Posted by tweetybyrdrt on December 1, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
opns,
both shoulders both knees, both feet, degen bone in spine, one neck operation.... you have no idea.
CollegeProf,
"Deep Water Running class" (As cut and pasted from article) Come on now, I'm not trying to take away your paycheck. Why the insults?
from what I'm reading in the article this seems to be a class that should be offered to Physical therapy students, not to those who need the therapy. Health insurance should be used to pay for this therapy, not education dollars.
"It's been my salvation to be able to move," she said. "It's a rehabilitation medium. I've had four neck surgeries."
now if you want to make fun of my poor typing skills (due to partial paralisis in left hand) go right ahead. But to try and insult my intelegence (other than my lack of spelling skills) is a completely different matter and as you said "Read the article. OR BETTER YET: take a reading & comprehension course at Ventura College!"
Posted by rebel123 on December 1, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've taken this class and it is awesome. Contrary to tweety's statement, this is an incredibly beneficial class for many of the seniors who take it that can't do any kind of weight bearing exercise because it combines cardio with resistance training yet has zero impact on joints. There are also people taking it for weight loss ( I lost 25 lbs with the help of this class) who are medically classified as morbidly obese and have been successful dropping weight without gastric by-pass surgery. One young woman has lost close to 70lbs so far. There are young athletes who take this class to stay in shape and rehab knee and leg injuries. This class is ALWAYS full. It is wrong to drop this course because it benefits so many in the community.
Posted by tweetybyrdrt on December 1, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not saying that this class is not bennificial, what I'm saying is that is seems more like a therapy session than a class. I have not taken this class, but I have done water therapy in the past and have found it useful.
I guess my question is: Are they teaching therapy techniques or are they performing therapy?
I don't know the answer but those of you who have taken the class do. so.......?
Posted by opns on December 1, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Birdy, sounds like you would benefit from this class. Didn't mean to offend you.
Sign up, could help you. then your tax dollars will be going to good use. Voila huh?
Posted by tweetybyrdrt on December 1, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not offended opns, I have full coverage medical, a full time job,a new home, a wife and two young children. I have no time to take another class. If this is more of a therapy session why don't all the parties involved work somthing out and continue without the schools support. the instructor can probably make at least as much and still pay for the pool time.
Posted by opns on December 1, 2008 at 1:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Birdy, i'm glad your doing well. So many people aren't as fortunate as you and do not have insurance. Your a nice person birdy, keep hanging in there, just as everyone else in the pool trying to feel better.
Have a great Day.
Posted by rebel123 on December 1, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is a PE Class! You can make the same case for Yoga or Tai Chi being "therapy" and not instructional. PE classes are for promoting healthy bodies as well as for learning. The solution to this course is to eliminate the rule that says you can only take it three times. Then all the people who are taking it through Community Ed can take it through the college. There were over 30 people in this class for the Fall semester and they all pay to take it. If funds are a problem, why are they eliminating a money maker like this class??
Posted by CollegeProf on December 1, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not affecting my paycheck. I taught at a college in another state. Now retired. But I do take classes at our community colleges. Our tax dollars are being used wisely when classes benefit the community. This Deep Water Running Class appears to be one of these classes. Tax dollars well spend!
Posted by CollegeProf on December 1, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I meant "well spent". Sorry for the typo.
Posted by CollegeProf on December 1, 2008 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My understanding is that tuition paid by students goes straight to Sacramento. The colleges receive an "allocation" for each "full-time equivalent student". The Governor is talking about increasing the tuition to $20 or more and all that extra revenue will go back to the state to help with the deficit. None of it will return to your local colleges. In fact, the news from Sacramento is that the 09-10 budget will be worse which in turn means that our colleges will make further cuts to the class schedules. This is just the beginning.
Posted by sidewinder on December 1, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I find it odd that anyone purporting to be a fiscal conservative would object to a service that adds to the health of a community. Call me crazy but I believe that fitness classes result in healthier people who have less of a need to call upon the medical profession. Even the governor says a fit population will result in savings in the state budget.
The cost of this class is incredibly reasonable for the return. If this is truly going to be a community college it needs to offer this class and others that help people better themselves. When it does it really will help us reduce unnecessary health care costs and be of public value. If the powers that be do not want to support this kind of class then they are not serving the community. It is not about the small cost it is about PUBLIC VALUE. This class pays community dividends.
Posted by Sally_Forth on December 1, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The classes are of course valuable. But can VCCCD afford them? That's the question. Yoga, Tai Chi and Deep Water Running are all very helpful - but if they are not generating revenue, they need to be looked at. We're facing having to cancel sections of classes that are required for professional, paraprofessional and transfer education.
Community Education classes should pay for themselves, of course - not be subsidized by the State's fund for higher education.
If the Deep Water running class can afford to pay for an actual college professor to teach it (check out what they make - it's an hourly amount of about 60-80 dollars) and pay for some share of pool maintenance/administrative oversight (that Dean has to be paid, too), then let it be offered.
If not, up the price or cancel it.
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