The DVC administration needs to set the district straight: Students need more sections of classes required for their major – not fewer.

It’s becoming the norm for a class to have a dozen or more students trying to add at the beginning of the semester, only to be refused because the class is at maximum enrollment.

Keri DuLaney-Greger said she turned away about 10 students this semester from her English 122 class, which is required for transfer to a UC or CSU campus, as well as an A.A. degree.

Until recently, a new section of English 122 would have been opened up to provide students with an alternate class.

But not this year.

The college’s new “right size” policy means fewer classes offered in the schedule and no new sections created, even when there are enough students to fill or nearly fill them.

This has DVC faculty members referring to it as a “no-growth” policy.

And frustrated students were not just those trying to add English classes at the start of the semester. Overall at DVC, the number of classes was down by 99 or 4.5 percent from the same time last year at the end of the first week of classes.

Now, couple that with the school’s rising head count – up 4.2 percent from last year, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Imagine first-semester students trying to fill classes for their majors or general ed requirements, but having the least priority among all the DVC students and then having to compete with dozens of others per class, who are also trying to sit in and add.

How can students fulfill their required classes in a timely manner under the administration’s “right-size” policy?

They can’t, at least not at DVC.

This new policy will force students to go to elsewhere, and they won’t be coming back.

So attention, Los Medanos and Contra Costa colleges: You might see a jump in your student numbers. Just send your thank-you note for your increased state revenues to the DVC administration.