Wednesday, October 24, 2001
Clackamas Community College
. '
Oregon City, Oregon
Volume XXXIV, Issue 3
President, students speak out
MAGGIE JIRASEK
Editor-in-Chief
“Ask the Presidents,” a
question-and-answer session
with College President Joe
Johnson and Student Body
President Stefan Myers,
gives students the opportu
nity to express concerns, ask
questions, and throw out new
ideas.
“We try to listen to stu
dents and their concerns,”
said Johnson while talking to
students and staff in the caf
eteria and answering their
questions.
Two sessions have been
held so far, Thursday Oct. 18
and Monday Oct. 21, with the
goal to improve communica
tion between students and the
college administration.
“It’s an opportunity for
students and the administra
tion to ask questions and get
some answers,” explained
Becky Carnahan, assistant to
the dean of instructional ser
vices.
It was not the first time
in Clackamas’ history that a
college conversation took
place. Former College Presi
dent John Keyser invited stu
dents and faculty to join a dis
cussion several times.
“We have done things
like that before, but the only
thing that would make stu
dents come was free pizza,”
said Carnahan. “So, this time,
we thought it would be a good
idea to go to the cafeteria,
where the food is already
there.”
According to Carnahan,
the effort to gather students
and faculty in order to share
ideas and concerns will con
tinue.
“We want to have a col
lege conversation once every
term if the students are inter
ested,” said Carnahan. “Next
term we might try a different
format. We will have students
meet in the Forum, including
students leaders, such as ASG
members, clubs, newspaper
staff and ambassadors.”
During the 30-minute
meetings, Johnson informed
students about some of his
ideas, such as establishing a
web-based registration as well
as his plans for bond-funded
building projects.
“There will be a new au
tomotive building, a new-gate
way building, remodeling will
be done and new classrooms
and labs will be added,” said
Johnson.
One of many concerns
brought up by students was
the fact that there are pro
grams offered at many other
MIKE POLLOCK / Clackamas Print
College President Joe Johnson answers students'concerns while Student Body
President Stefan Myers looks on during question-and-answer sessions held in the
cafeteria Thursday, Oct. 18 and Monday, Oct. 21.
colleges but not at Clacka
mas, such as second-year
American Sign Language.
According to Dian Connett,
dean of instructional ser
vices, the program is there
but due to insufficient en'roll-
ment numbers, a second-year
American Sign Language pro
gram is not offered at this
point.
“If we find students who
can take the class at the same
time and the same day, then
we can offer it,” said Connett.
Johnson encouraged all
students to ask any kind of
question that they might have.
“If you see me on cam
pus, come and ask me ques
tions,” he said.
Questions asked by students at the question-and-answer sessions with College President Joe Johnson:
-Why is the food in the
cafeteria so expensive?
-Why is cheap daycare
not available?
-Why does Clackamas
allow financial aid for only
nine terms?
-Will there be food ser
vice available on Saturdays?
-Will there be more
parking available?
-Do we need more
lighting?
-Are there programs
that the college doesn’t of
fer but that should be of
fered?
-Should Clackamas of
fer more classes in the sum
mer?
Student enrollment goes up as economy goes down
DAISY BAIN
A&E Editor
Enrollment at Clackamas
Community College has
gone up considerably com
pared to last year’s fall term.
Within the second
week of the term, full-time
students at the college to
taled 1,799. Fall Term Enroll
ment (FTE) totals 7,166 full-
and part-time students this
fall.
Many instructors have
speculated that the recent
attacks have played a part
in the high enrollment.
With the economic down fall,
“As the unemployment many students are coming
rate goes up,
back for re
so does our
training.
activity,”
“We
said Scott ."We are maximiz
are maximiz
Giltz, chair
ing every
ing every possible
man of the
possible cor
corner in every
manufactur
ner in every
classroom.”
ing depart
classroom,”
ment.
said Diana
Diana Drebln
The
Drebin, reg
Registrar
college has a
istrar.
new partner
Abnor
ship
with
mally large
Portland General Electric at class sizes are seen across
the Wilsonville campus, campus. The criminal justice
department is one example.
“We only have two
rooms,” said Dian Connett,
criminal justice department
secretary. The usual number
of students in each class is 25-
35. Each room has a maximum
capacity of 45 students and as
of now an average of 55 stu
dents are in each class.
“We don’t like to turn
anyone away,” said Connett.
The criminal justice de
partment has been conducting
an open seat load. Rather than
the school itself deciding
when the class is full, the de
partment makes that decision.
The department has
also offered many more
evening and online classes to
the curriculum, as well as a
few new classes that have
never been offered before.
The Harmony campus is
also showing substantial
growth. At the end of the
fourth week one year ago a
total of 801 students were en
rolled. Currently there are 966,
which is about a 17 percent
increase.
See Enrollment, page 4