In an attempt to help students who work full-time, City College will be offering night and weekend courses in the fall 2019 semester.

The evening college initiative will increase students’ access to classes, giving more opportunities to students who work, have children or otherwise can’t attend class during the day.

Joshua Ramirez, director of the Evening College Program, led a forum on Saturday to raise awareness for the program.

“We want people to be aware of the resources available at SBCC,” Ramirez said. “We need to structure ourselves as a campus, so we can move forward as a community.”

While a small number of evening courses have been offered this semester, there will be a much more substantial amount after the program officially launches. The classes will be offered online, in person or a hybrid of the two on Saturdays and evenings.

“Lots of people have jobs, and this is a chance for them to get a degree and study full-time at SBCC,” said Dr. Vandana Gavaskar, faculty director for tutoring and learning support at City College. “We have always had evening classes, but not evening courses.”

She said she understands that it’s hard for students to obtain degrees with a full workload or family responsibilities and that it’s the college’s responsibility to adapt to meet student needs.

“It’s a community college for the community,” she said. “The program is here to create the pathway that students need, and really focus on students.”

Tutoring, counseling, and other resources will also be available for evening college students, both in and out of class.

Ramirez said tutors are important because they can “explain things peer to peer in a way an instruction can’t do.”

He said that he wants students to know that it’s possible to get a degree through evening college programs and said he hopes it will have a positive outcome.

The next informational forum will be held at 10 p.m. on May 11 in the West Campus Center Room 121.