Summer School is Back!

I am enjoying the start of the 2013 summer session at College of the Sequoias.  I have two classes this year.  History 4, Western Civilization to 1648, has 40 students and History 17, the U.S. to 1877, has 60.  The session lasts 6 weeks, running Monday through Thursday from June 10 through July 18, except for the Fourth of July.  Each class meets two hours and five minutes per session.

The first two days have been a lot of fun for me.  Summer classes in general tend to draw a more dedicated clientele of students than are typical of the regular fall and spring semesters.  The start of these classes has been no exception, with good discussions already underway in both classes on topics like the reliability of historical sources and the diversity of settler experiences in the early American colonies.  I am reminded how much I like teaching history and how fortunate I am to be able to make a living doing what I love.

The summer session fills a number of needs.  University students home for the summer are able to meet some of their requirements at a fraction of the cost.  Recent high school graduates are able to get a head start on their programs.  Students who haven't been able to get into all the classes they need in fall and spring semesters can keep their program on schedule rather than having to spend extra semesters to graduate.  We even have some current high school students getting a jump on their college careers.

The entire summer program has been cancelled at COS the past two years due to budget cuts.  The weak economy has reduced the entire state budget, including that for community colleges, significantly over that time.  Thanks to the improving economy and the voters' passage of Proposition 30 last November, which hiked the sales and income taxes in California, some of those cuts have been restored.  Some more good news came this morning, as May state revenues came in 12% over projections for the month.  The signs are multiplying that the economy is indeed on the rebound, and that is welcome news for everyone, including not only job seekers and investors but students needing classes and their teachers as well!