By Jordan Minder Assistant/Visual Editor
Last spring, Lincoln Land’s com- puter labs were open 30 to 40 hours a week outside of class, but that will not be the case anymore.
Due to recent budget cuts, all lab hours and several student workers have been cut.
“This puts a lot of stress on stu- dents because most of the (com- puter) programs are here and not at their (the students’) homes,” said Kelcie Salvo, one the remaining student workers who assists with the labs.
The reduction of lab hours is not the only area students might see a reduction in opportunities. LLCC’s Student Life cut staff and organiza- tions, including the Red and Blue Crew.
“We are putting that (the Red and Blue Crew) on a hiatus,” said Lesley Frederick, the vice president of student services. “We didn’t want to continue something that wasn’t really working.”
Frederick said the club had seen less interest in the recent years.
Budget cuts and loss of staff because of resignations and retire- ments forced the changes.
But despite this, Frederick said she hopes to reorganize in a way that will benefit students more so than before.
“We hope to engage the students in more leadership-development activi- ties, and expand and grow activities, support and resources for student clubs and organizations,” Freder- ick said. “Most organizations are associated with specific academic disciplines, areas, or interests, which brings in a diversity of students into these groups, more so than many of the other one-off activities that are offered. By better supporting our clubs and organizations, we feel like we can get more students involved and engaged in purposeful activities of things that they are interested in.”
Other adjustments include the revamping of current student orga- nizations. Rather than adding new organizations, Student Services will strengthen the clubs they already have. By enhancing the organiza- tions already in existence, Student Services hopes that student member- ship and leadership will increase.
Jordan Minder can be reached at [email protected] or 786.2311.
Note: This article was originally published in The Lamp’s Sept. 17, 2014, issue.
