DSPS Braces For Cuts, Morale Low

The Guardsman

Ivan Huang

Disabled Students Programs and Services at City College’s John Adams campus has not had any of their classes cut yet, despite the current budget crisis, but faculty morale is low in anticipation of potential cuts.

There has been a “huge decrease in morale,” said Joyce Foreman, an instructor at John Adams.

“It’s a very stressful everyday situation. We’ve already had cuts to some of our part-time workers and we’re always waiting to hear how much has to be cut,” she said. “Instructors come in everyday with the feeling that their jobs are on the line.”

DSPS helps students who have disabilities, including impairment in mobility, vision, hearing and speech, as well as learning disabilities, psychological disorders and developmental disabilities, according to the program’s website.

The programs provided by the department help people continue their development and get back on track with their lives, said Foreman.

“What they don’t tell you is that after rehab you’re on your own,” she said.

Over the past 24 years, Foreman has watched thousands of people succeed through the department.

“My experience here has been wonderful,” she said, adding that many students “have been able to return to work, get back into their classes and pursue their interests that they have started because of their increased or regained abilities developed here.”

Another department at John Adams that has been affected by the budget cuts is English as a Second Language.

“Early this semester, they told us that we had to cut 20 sections in ESL, which is pretty devastating,” said Robin Mackey, ESL coordinator at John Adams.

But course cuts aren’t the only problem caused by the budget crisis.

“We’ve had to have a teacher combine all first four levels of beginning ESL classes, so the teacher had to teach