California Legislative Analyst Office recommends P.E. cuts

Ben Hoemann | Staff Writer
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At City College, physical education is more than the traditional affair of dodgeball, cold mornings, tacky uniforms and mile runs. Here, students can choose from a wide catalog of classes.

Aquatic fitness, bowling, step aerobics, yoga and golf provide both physical activity and recreation for a number of students. However, the state legislative analyst wants them stopped, declaring them a strain on the state’s budget.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office has recommended to the state that funding be cut out of the budget for recreational P.E. classes at California community colleges because they are extraneous and mostly for personal enjoyment. The focus, according to the legislative analysts office should instead be on so called “enrichment classes,” or classes that are targeted toward jobs, transfers and degrees.

The state currently pays $4,600 for a full-time student who enrolls in one of these P.E. classes – the same as academic classes – and cutting them would save California $120 million.

“It’s completely unfair,” said City College student Sam Walling. “I take bowling. I was one unit short of my requirement to transfer, which it not only meets, but provides me with some relaxing exercise during my hectic academic schedule.”

A big hang up for students on this issue is the fact that P.E. is a requirement for both transfers and getting an associate’s degree. How can required classes be cut from the curriculum?
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According to the LAO, the goal is not to eliminate P.E. entirely, but simply cut back on the number and variety of classes available.

“They could still offer P.E. courses,” said Steve Boilard, director of higher education for the LAO. “They just couldn’t do a lot of them.”

City College physical education professor Connie Zuercher believes it is important to maintain P.E. classes.

“Physical education is an important and necessary part of education,” Zuercher said. “Not only is it required by Title 5, it’s also extremely valued by the college. It helps keep the students healthy, which saves money on health care costs and physical activity is good for the brain, which helps with general education.”

According to Zuercher, one issue the LAO may have is with “repeatability.”

“Some people have a problem with students taking P.E. classes over and over again, doing it for fun or using it as a health club,” she said. “But I have no problem with that. Students need access to physical activity.”

The state is no longer considering these cutbacks, according to Zuercher. However, she believes that the idea is there.