Three days of noncredit classes offered for summer

By Hannah WeinerThe Guardsman

An “Open College” proposal by  City College’s General Assembly has been approved for the summer and  will offer free lectures, workshops, labs, food and open discussions.

The  event will be on three days, June 2, July 14 and Aug. 4, from 10 a.m.  to 5 p.m. in the Science Building on Ocean campus. Student sign-up and  outreach is set to begin soon on Rams Plaza.

“We have had an  overwhelmingly positive response from faculty,” General Assembly student  member Felix Cabrera said. “Teachers are eager to teach the subjects  they love, students are willing to learn, and everyone sees the positive  and powerful statements that can come out of an event such as this.”

Lectures  will also be given about the education budget deficit and how to fight  it.

“The budget is really what is determining our future,” Leslie  Smith, associate vice chancellor of governmental relations, said. “They  will be talking about advocacy in terms of student empowerment and how  to make changes to the education system.”

“It’s the first time  summer school was canceled in over 30 years and I think people felt the  need to keep in touch with the school over the summer,” Smith said. “The  idea really resonated with folks.”

Cabrera, whose role is to  focus on outreach and follow-up for the event, said almost everyone the  General Assembly has talked to has agreed to help in some capacity.

“We  have contacted teachers, administrators and unions to ensure the  possibility of the event,” Cabrera said. “Once we get a teacher who is  interested we need to make sure they stay informed of the developments  as they happen.”

While the Open College will provide free courses  in various subjects, students will not receive credits for the classes  they attend.

“The teachers are going to be working for free, with  no obligation other than the love of teaching,” Cabrera said. “I kind  of like to think of this as an event like a concert where people come  because they really want to, not because they have to.”

Katryn  Wiese, earth sciences department chair will be helping students organize  events and will teach a workshop at Open College. Education is valuable  whether it’s formally structured or not, she said.

“I’m  supportive of any opportunity to reach out to the community and provide  open educational workshops and experiences,” Wiese said. “We will  demonstrate that our education lies in our own hands — that we don’t  have to let our education stop simply because the formal piece, credit,  pay, etc., isn’t available.”

The General Assembly, as well as  other supporters of Open College, are hoping the event will make a  widespread political statement about the state of education in  California, and enable collaboration between students and faculty.

For  more information visit www.ccsfagainstthecuts.org or write to ccsf.generalassembly@gmail.com.