Optimism marks first day of classes at Ventura County colleges

Classes started Monday at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges with officials optimistic for the first time in years that they will be able to offer the classes and services students need, now that the economy is recovering.

"The good news for our district is that our budgets are level for the first time in four years," said Greg Gillespie, the new president of Ventura College. "We're not looking at what to cut but are being able to offer a bit bigger schedule."

Students started school with the usual frustrations about finding a parking spot. But for the most part, they reported getting the classes they wanted, unlike in past years when many were shut out or put on waiting lists for a rare open spot.

It was Schae Alejandro's first day of college, and she was giddy as she sat outside texting after class, new textbooks at her side.

"I was uberstoked, so excited," said Alejandro, 18, who got into all the classes she wanted at Oxnard College. "I told my best friend, ‘I feel like a little kid again, going to kindergarten.' "

Enrollment at the three colleges is down just under 1 percent overall. That's because a demographic spike in high school graduates is declining, meaning fewer students are enrolling in college, officials said. In addition, the economy is improving, so people are going back to work instead of taking classes to improve their skills.

Alexis Romo, 20, starting her third year at Oxnard College, noticed the difference.

"The past two years, the first day has been crazy," Romo said Monday. "Today seems empty ... and I got into the classes I wanted."

The colleges added classes this year after several years of cutting them, due to the improving economy and Proposition 30, which raised taxes to support education. Most of those added are classes that students need to transfer to a four-year school or get a two-year degree.

"We've put money back in the classroom," said Iris Ingram, acting president of Moorpark College. "There's still need, but at least we've stopped the downward slide."

On Monday, all three colleges still had at least some classes available.

"I know some people were scared off because for several years we didn't have room, but now we do," Ingram said.

The colleges started the school year with a number of new people in key positions. Gillespie took over as president of Ventura College in July. Ingram will be acting president at Moorpark until the district hires an interim president this month. The interim is expected to serve about a year before Moorpark hires a permanent president.

In addition, the district has interim vice chancellors for human resources and for business and administrative services.

Brian Fahnestock took over as interim vice chancellor of business and administrative services in June. Anita Morris started as interim vice chancellor of human resources two weeks ago.

None of that turnover affected Neftali Lozano's first day of college in Oxnard.

"It wasn't that crazy," Lozano said, although he didn't get into a math class and was on a waiting list for a biology lab. "I had trouble finding a class, but last night I was pretty excited."