MORE THAN BUDGET CUTS: Students Lose Programs—and AVID Support

Timothy Grassley

The Advocate

On Monday, March 30, at 12:40 p.m., a classroom filled with students shuffled in after a one-and-a-half-hour break following an early morning start. Still easing back into the day after a lighthearted review of the welding syllabus and a video, students expected another routine lecture to cap off their afternoon. 

Instead, they were met with unexpected news. 

What appeared to be a standard overview of class requirements concealed an announcement no one saw coming: Machining courses were being cut from the Integrated Metals degree. As students took their seats, the message was delivered simply and without warning, causing faces around the room to pale. 

The mood shifted instantly. The tension in the classroom was palpable. While the news was shocking, it was not entirely surprising. Rumors of potential budget cuts had circulated through the Applied Technology Building for months. A final decision always seemed inevitable, though never certain. 

That uncertainty had lingered since the start of fall term. Many students attempting to register for the program were required to enroll in welding courses first, rather than machining, while administrators searched for staff to teach an introductory machining class. Conversations with former machining students further underscored fears that the program would either be shelved or eliminated altogether. 

What surprised me most this week was learning that not only are the machinery courses being cut. The AVID Center, located upstairs in the library, is also being cut as part of the same campus wide budget reductions affecting staff and programs. 

I interviewed Jonathan Strauss, an AVID learning specialist, who agreed to speak on short notice. The conversation revealed a deeper issue beyond simple budget constraints. 

Strauss explained that one of the central challenges facing AVID is how tutoring services are perceived by administration. “I feel like our frustration with administration is that the reason they cite for cutting our resources is because they call us duplicative,” Strauss said. “Which means they think that we are redundant.” 

From an outsider’s perspective, it can be difficult to understand the nuance of this decision. But that clarity emerges through conversation. The choice between AVID and the Learning Success Center (LSE) is not about which is better, Strauss said, but which environment best supports the student. “You clearly made an effort to actively choose to come to the AVID Center instead of the LSE, which is quite literally down the hallway,” Strauss said. “I love what they do, and we are on the same team. We support each other. But we provide two different, complementary services.” 

Though both centers offer academic support, students often gravitate toward AVID because of its atmosphere. The AVID Center provides more than tutoring; it offers a safe space where students feel comfortable expressing their frustrations and challenges. Students frequently confide in AVID staff during academic and personal crises and often receive guidance that extends beyond coursework. 

While the AVID Center may not be the right fit for every student, it has been a critical resource for those struggling to manage assignments and workloads. If the center closes, the library will lose something no other service on campus can fully replace.  

Trying to stay neutral from a journalistic standpoint is taxing when you’re currently living through a nightmare. Imagine finding out that half of your 2-year degree is being cut, while your favorite tutoring crew is facing the same challenges. It’s frustrating, confusing, and heavy to navigate.  

When things don’t turn out the way we expect them to, it can be overwhelming to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps. 

Unfortunately, some things are not meant to be. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and rivers don’t spontaneously turn themselves into lakes. But when you find yourself surrounded by a bunch of burning bridges rapidly burning down, it’s hard to stay calm.  

I just hope the board can find a solution to the ever present problem that is the college budget; because some courses and resources on campus mean more than just being a learning experience.