The open door policy at The Learning Center has recently gone through a change, where students now have to register for a half unit class in order to use the facilities and resources. On June 16, 2006, a state mandate was released informing TLC staff of the change in Title 5 policy already in effect as of January 29, 2006, additional definitions were added to the policy April 14, 2006. This new policy makes it so students must register in a course, Learning Skills 800: Supervised Tutoring, in order to use TLC or receive tutoring. First they must be referred by an instructor, or be registered in a parent course with a lab supplement. Learning Skills 800 is a variable unit course ranging from half a unit to three units. The students would then have access to all the resources available in TLC, from the computer labs to tutoring in just about every subject. “We’ve got tutoring with English, reading, we’ve got math,” explained Rachel Bell, coordinator for the writing and reading lab. “Any discipline specific depending on the request; biology, accounting, whatever the students need.”The staff has been trying to design new lab courses in order to encourage students to register. They are relying on students to enroll in these courses to continue supporting and funding TLC. The center depends on the state for funding. Previously they received funds based on student needs or those registered in zero unit courses, which are free of cost, and now students must pay for the amount of units being taken. “Before, students just came in and used the center,” said Bell. “We could submit apportionments and get funding where students wouldn’t need to register in a course. Now, our funding is directly tied to having students enrolled, which means if we don’t have students enrolled, we don’t have funding.”The mandate was issued from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, but why and where this new policy was initiated is unknown at this time. Whatever the reasons, it could make it harder for certain students to access the resources they need and rely on to succeed, though the staff struggles to keep TLC available to all students.”For me, it feels like not the best choice for access for our students, I really liked our open door policy,” Bell said.