MISSION COLLEGE : Summer School Is Victim of Move

Mission College’s move to its new campus in Sylmar has prompted administrators to cancel summer classes for the first time in the school’s 15-year history.

College officials said this week that although they hope to have the new $20-million campus ready for fall semester students by Sept. 9, they haven’t the staff or the time to hold summer classes.

“We either move or we have a summer session,” said Carlos Nava, Mission’s dean of students. “It’s very difficult to attend to both tasks. They each require specific attention to a lot of detail.”

Between 40 and 45 general education and vocational courses, as well as classes that supplement the PACE (Project Adult College Education) program, are offered in the summer session, Nava said.

Mission administrators will meet with officials from Valley and Pierce colleges April 5 in hopes the other two campuses can accommodate Mission’s 1,000 summer school students. But summer sessions at those schools already are crowded, officials said.

“As far as we know, we are going to have our own turn-aways,” said Angel Villa, dean of academic affairs at Valley College in Van Nuys, which holds one six-week summer session.

Pierce College in Woodland Hills plans to offer fewer classes this summer because of budget constraints. “We can send them our schedules,” William Norlund, vice president of academic affairs, said. Beyond that, he said, “I’m not sure what we can do.”

The cancellation of summer school has caused some students who planned to attend summer classes at Mission to put their educations on hold.

Other students said they will try to squeeze into classes at other community colleges.

Since it was established, Mission College has held classes in leased buildings in San Fernando and elsewhere in the northeastern San Fernando Valley while awaiting a permanent home.

About 15 faculty members also will be affected by the cancellation.