CLASSES ABOUND AT COC : AVAILABLE COURSES MORE THAN DOUBLE.

Byline: Mary Schubert Daily News Staff Writer

College of the Canyons has more than doubled its courses for this summer, and campus officials say there is still plenty of room in the 161 courses offered in two sessions from May 27 through Aug. 7.

By comparison, COC offered 62 class sections during its sole summer session in 1996 and attracted 1,300 students, said college spokeswoman Sue Bozman.

So far 2,390 students have signed up for the 1997 session, but Bozman said the schedule could accommodate as many as 5,000 students.

``Until this year, we weren't able to offer enough classes to serve the need in our community,'' she said. ``This year, the state Legislature and the governor provided growth funds . . . that allow community colleges to add classes, and College of the Canyons had a very high growth factor.''

Last summer COC spent $106,000 on summer school; college officials won't know how much will be spent on the 1997 sessions until the enrollment period is complete, Bozman said. But the figure likely will be much higher than last year, considering 99 more class sections are being offered.

The summer schedule also includes many evening and Saturday classes, she noted.

Six years ago, COC summer school became the scholastic equivalent of an endangered species due to the recession that struck California's economy. That year, COC offered just 19 summer classes - a cutback from the 42 originally proposed - to save funds for its fall 1991 session.

Conditions have steadily improved since then; Bozman said COC offered 54 classes in 1994 and 62 in 1995 and 1996.

State lawmakers tapped into Proposition 98 funds to allocate more money for summer school for California's community colleges, Bozman said. State officials designate bigger shares of funding to colleges that serve growing communities, like the Santa Clarita Valley, where demand for classes is high but the enrollment has been ``capped'' - kept artificially low - due to funding restraints, she said.

``The state would decide how many students you could serve,'' Bozman said. ``The state didn't provide any funds during the recession for growth.''

By comparison, spring and fall semester enrollment at COC typically runs about 7,500 students. This fall, there will be 751 class sections.

Summer school will be offered in sessions that run May 27 to June 27, and then June 30 to Aug. 7.

The admissions office is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, people can sign up for summer school from noon to 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., respectively. Extended Friday hours also will be offered May 23 from noon to 7 p.m.

For information, call the admissions office at [phone], Ext. 3280.