CSUMB to slash remedial classes in 2018

Cal State universities, including CSUMB, want to help more students graduate on time.

Beginning next year, incoming students who need extra help in math and English will no longer have to take remedial classes.

“We have found that when you place a student in a course that’s labeled developmental or remedial, there’s a stigma attached to that and it communicates to the student that maybe they are not ready for college after all,” said CSUMB Provost Bonnie Irwin.

Fourth year student Juan Avalos had to take a writing course.

“Spanish is my first speaking language and English is my second speaking language. So the difference between my influence for both languages, for English is pretty low than Spanish,” Avalos said.

A computer science major with one more year to go, Avalos said he doesn’t have to write often, but the skills do come in handy.

“It helps me do my research. It plans out my papers, and my drafts and what not,” Avalos said.

Math professor Michael Scott said those classes can also hold students up.

“First of all, it’s eight units of course that they have to take. So often times they can’t even start college level math course until they are sophomore. And students don’t find the experience that fulfilling,” Scott said.

Things are changing across the Cal State system.

“So students will enroll in a college level course, but there will be supplementary instruction, extra help, tutoring on the side to make sure they are successful in those courses,” Irwin said.

Many students are not aware of this change since it won’t take effect until 2018, but educators at CSUMB said they expect great results in the years to come.