Cerritos College
Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

Cerritos College • Norwalk, Calif.

Talon Marks

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Part-time counselors cut

The Cerritos College part-time counseling staff has been hit with cuts in hours due to the budget cuts in California.

State funding has been cut at all UC, CSU, and community college campuses.

The cut has affected Cerritos College matriculation funds the worst, which had affect starting July 1.

Matriculation is the process where students get through enrollment. Those areas include enrollment, assessment testing and counseling. 

Part-time money comes out of matriculation funds. Unfortunately, desperate times requires desperate measures.

With the newly budget cut and the loss of full service counselors, lines at the admission and counseling office have become larger and longer.

Renee Chomiak, dean of counseling services, explains, “Every community college responds to the budget crises in different ways.  I highly value all of our part-time counselors; this was only a response to the cut.”  

Chomiak who has been dean of counseling for more than three years, is very upset for the loss of her “wonderful part-time staff.”

She has expected a staggering 60 to 62 percent cut in matriculation funds.

Although the part-time counselors have lost hours, Chomiak has helped to keep counselors hours as much during “peak time” which would be considered registration time, but may have to cut back more after enrollments has settled also known as “non-peak time.”

To accommodate the 24,000 students enrolled this semester, peer student counselors have also been offered.

Their services are to answer any questions, and to help screen and direct students into the right direction in line to help meet needs as quickly as possible. 

Peer counsel advisers’ hours had been cut down as well.   

Peer counselor Diana Gonzales expresses her thought on this issue, “It gets hard at times with not only our hours being cut and the large amount of students we take care of, but I always come to work with a smile and I’m ready to help anyone who needs my help.”

Because it will be a while until the economy gets on track, there has been several student-friendly ways to proceed in a quicker process due to the new changes. 

Boardroom counseling is a group of multiple students to be counseled in a group setting. 

MyCerritos is a quick way to get information; numerous computers are supplied in the office for student’s convenience.

It is advised that students stay with a specific counselor, particularly a counselor who specializes within their major. 

It is also easier as the semester goes on for students to book an appointment with that same counselor to stay on the right track.

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Part-time counselors cut