Jason Solares
Santa Ana College students seeking on-campus medical assistance may be turned down, with budget cuts reducing Health and Wellness Center nurse hours.
While the center’s hours for over-the-counter items remains the same, students have less opportunities to see a nurse and other on-campus medical staff.
“We love our students and we love to help, but we can’t [help] if we’re not here,” said one of SAC’s registered nurses, Kelli Lange.
Students wishing to visit an on-campus nurse on Tuesdays and Fridays will be turned away if they need services only a registered nurse can provide. Nurses are available Monday and Wednesday for four hours and Thursdays for five hours.
Each semester, students pay a mandatory $19 health fee, which funds a portion of the health center’s budget. The college’s dwindling enrollment numbers affects this budget, as there are less students paying the health fee.
Despite having nearly half SAC’s enrollment numbers, Santiago Canyon College has an on-campus nurse available throughout the center’s hours of operation. Both schools require students to pay the same health service fee.
