Scramble Is On at Valley’s College Campuses

Enrollment dropped a combined total of 1% on the first day of spring classes Monday at the Valley’s three community colleges, but administrators expected to eventually surpass 1999 figures.

If lines at bookstores and registration offices at Pierce, Valley and Mission colleges were any indication, it will happen.

“I didn’t register for classes until today,” said Francis Dean De Mira, 21, of West Hills, who consulted the list of open classes at Pierce with about 10 other students. “I was kind of taking my time, partying a little too much over vacation. The whole millennium thing.”

Pierce was the only campus to post a small gain: 1.6%. As of Saturday, Pierce had an enrollment of 12,056 students, the largest enrollment of the three campuses.

“I think we’re going to go even higher,” said President Rocky Young. “We’re doing real brisk business at the admit desk.”

He declined to predict Pierce’s final enrollment but said he had already surpassed his goal to keep enrollment level with last spring.

The traditional enrollment period will continue until Jan. 28, but the schools will still accept students for Saturday classes and “late start classes,” nine-week courses that begin mid-semester.

Pierce students who did not register for classes by phone or the Internet by last Thursday’s deadline had to scramble for classes Monday, filling out forms and waiting in lines.

“The people who have waited this long are usually confused or unorganized,” said Elisabeth Waters, a Pierce outreach representative who answered questions posed by confused students.

While those who put off registration battled lines inside the Campus Center, students like Michael Studer, 18, sat on benches outside and basked in the winter sunshine before heading to another class.

“I registered about a week ago,” said Studer, who lives in Granada Hills. “I came to Admission and Records and had no problems. I planned it out.”

Mission College’s enrollment was 5,025 as of Saturday--down 2% from last year. But interim President Thom Oliver said he plans to finish the enrollment period with an increase of 5% above last year.

“We have seven feeder high schools, and they’re just bulging at the seams,” he said.

The Sylmar campus has been sending college officials to local high schools and organizing campus visits for high school students and college career fairs to increase enrollment, Oliver said.

“They’re not just going to come,” he said of local high school graduates. “They’ll just go out and get a job--there’s a lot of jobs out there now.”

But even at current enrollment levels, Mission, the smallest school in the nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District, is offering many off-site classes.

“We’re basically at a point where we need more facilities for more substantial growth,” Oliver said.

Valley College in Valley Glen had an enrollment of 12,894 students Saturday, representing a 2% decline from the same time last year. But officials blamed scheduling issues and said they expected spring enrollment to rise.

“We started registering for spring in the first week of December instead of the middle of November, like we normally do,” said Sue Carleo, vice president of academic affairs at Valley College.

As a result, the pace of enrollment is much faster than in previous years, she said, and the decision to mail 45,000 “mini-class schedules” is paying off.

Valley has increased the number of sections it offers in basic courses such as English and math to better accommodate students’ schedules.

“We have so many different opportunities for enrollment,” said Valley President Tyree Wieder. “Everything doesn’t start on the first day of the semester.”

At Mission, students standing in the registration and financial aid lines received their first lesson of the semester: be prepared.

“No,” said one curt clerk. “We cannot guarantee book grants for people who haven’t already signed up for them.”

Dejected, Roberto Deltoro turned away from the window.

“I kind of knew it wasn’t going to work,” he said. “But it was worth a try if I could save myself a few steps. Now I’m starting over at the beginning, even though I’ve already been in line. Whatever.”