De Anza College’s Tutorial and Academic Skills Center on campus began its quarterly skills workshops on April 26.

The center began the academic skills workshop program to improve student problem areas and address poor study habits. The workshops include lessons for test taking, making speeches, writing papers, note taking and conquering bad habits like procrastination and poor decision-making.

All skills workshops are conducted by Tutorial Center staff.

“We’re all kind of specialists here,” program coordinator Jeannie Kastelic said.

The skills center, which also provides individual and group tutoring, is not immune to the current fiscal crisis. At the end of the month, the skills center staff will be cut down significantly due to budget cuts.

“It’s tough when [the program] is growing but the resources are shrinking,” program coordinator Jeannie Kastelic said.

Starting July 1, however, there will be new positions offered and the Skills Center staff will be reorganized. Kastelic is hoping there will be a larger budget to get the staff size needed at the Skills Center.

Despite the center’s tight budget, tutor services and workshops will remain.

“We even had a teacher join one,” Kastelic said, “to work on procrastinating.”

The Skills Center has been around for 40 years, nearly as long as the college, which began in 1984.