San Leandro campus moving past first stages

Chabot in San Leandro? Unheard of until Chabot College expanded its campus about a year and a half ago.

During this fall semester at the Chabot College-San Leandro Center, 150 students are enrolled in the 14 classes offered at the new campus.

According to Rosemary Delia, Director of the Chabot College-San Leandro Center, one of the main purposes of the new campus is to ensure that the "education we provide reaches everyone in the community."

How did the San Leandro campus come about?

There is a partnership between the San Leandro School District and Chabot College. Chabot College received a grant from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation and used $500,000 of the grant to fund the construction of the San Leandro campus.

Chabot College has two classrooms at the San Leandro Adult School that are being outfitted with the latest technology for instructional purposes.

The adult school provided the perfect location for the extension of Chabot's campus, because it easily provides their students with a pathway to college, according to Delia.

To take Chabot courses, all their students have to do is literally walk across the hall. Also, the ESL (English as a Second Language) program offered at the Adult School transitions easily to the Chabot College courses offered at the San Leandro campus.

Basic courses in business, math, English and Spanish are some the classes currently in session. These classes particularly the sign language and speech classes are attracting both current high school students and new students alike.

Delia would like to remind students that the San Leandro campus is in its "initial growth phase" and that next semester the campus will be "expanding the offerings" to 21 classes that include more specific career-oriented classes.

So, what do the students think of the new campus?

According to Veronica Jauregui the San Leandro campus, "is clean and in good condition." She also likes the fact that she doesn't, "have to pay for parking. That is great."

Jauregui also pointed out that because the San Leandro campus was so close to her house she could easily take classes there.

According to Al Yu, "it couldn't have been a better environment: air conditioning, white boards, open chairs, laid back teachers and a few students."

Yu went on to say " I feel that the teacher can definitely dedicate more time to a student's needs."

Despite the many positive aspects of the new campus there are things some of the students would like to see improved. One of which, is the lack of a cafeteria.

According to Andrew Bettencourt, "between classes there is nowhere close by to get something to eat, besides the few vending machines in the hallway."

Delia points out that although there is no cafeteria there is a taco truck on campus.

Another problem according to Bettencourt is that the San Leandro campus is hard to find. "The campus sits back off Williams Street and looks more like the parking lot for the school next door than an entrance."

In its first semester, many students signed up for classes at the San Leandro campus accidentally.

Delia mentions that some of the courses were moved from their original location on the Chabot campus to the San Leandro campus on short notice to the students so there was "some confusion."

Justin Parker believes that the San Leandro Campus needs to "be advertised a little more to help the students of Chabot College."

According to Delia, more marketing for the San Leandro campus is underway. "We are currently working with a signage firm to produce signs that will ensure visibility."

Delia goes on to say, "We have a new, larger class schedule that is being sent out to residents of San Leandro and neighboring areas in Oakland and Castro Valley.

"On Dec. 4 and 5 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., we will be having open registration at the Center for anyone wanting to apply and register for Chabot College classes."

Delia also points out that the San Leandro campus is expected to expand and intensify its efforts as time goes on. Delia believes that, "among the most important priorities is to provide students at the Center with outstanding instruction along with the provision of consistent and optimal services."

Delia goes on to remind the students of the San Leandro campus that they, being part of Chabot College, are "entitled to every service provided at Chabot College."