The 2010-11 academic year has been a long and burdensome one with a poignant atmosphere. With budget cuts on the rise, students and faculty fret about what programs will be cut and whose jobs will be lost.

As the year finally rolls around to an end, the pace is slowly starting to transform and new plans are being written down. As we all already know, the heavy budget cuts have affected everybody in some way or another and will continue to do so in the future.

With the upcoming elections on June 3, the budget cuts will be further discussed and the proposed tax increases will be considered by voters. After these elections, California will decide what funds will be allocated to community colleges and what cuts will be made accordingly as De Anza College and other California educational institutions will deliberate what departments will be slashing course offerings.

De Anza is making changes that will take begin in the winter 2011 quarter. With tuition fees increasing, the new increases will be implemented with the start of a new quarter, a new year. Therefore, students, it would only be wise to save some money and sign yourself up for as many summer courses as you can before the tuition fees shoot up.

We can expect less course offerings and fewer spots when these cuts are implemented, so taking a summer course now might be a good opportunity for students who know exactly what they need to take next.

But let’s face it; not many students take a summer course, regardless of how much it could benefit them.The numbers prove it too, summer enrollment is consistently lower than what it is during the fall, winter or spring quarters, and yet, you’re much more likely to get the classes you want during the off-season.

This way, you won’t have to deal with the tentative stay on endless wait-lists, unsure of whether you’ll even get in the class you want!

Lighten up your load in winter and spring quarters by taking classes in fall and summer quarters. By doing so, you get closer to finishing up your college degree faster.

Summer classes last only about four to eight weeks at most colleges, so if you go to summer school throughout your college years, that’s a few extra classes shaved off your course load. Take initiative and get started on your career. After all, isn’t that why we are all here in the first place?

Find the summer course for you, go search online at www.deanza.edu/courseinfo today!