From: Sean Dockray <sean@e-rat.org>
Subject: Re: when to cancel classes?
In-Reply-To: Re: when to cancel classes?
Date: April 12th 2008


I agree with a little more structure in the process that outlines the circumstances under which classes 
will be canceled.

I also think Caleb's comment brings back the idea of having all of the classes amount to something of 
an ecosystem in which the whole things breaks even, but not every class necessarily does.  Ideally 
there would be a few that would float the rest.

This has been exceptionally difficult to think actually do though, because it's impossible to know what 
classes really will appeal to people in terms of fees.  Also it's been difficult to schedule the classes, 
which then amounts to tackling them one at a time.  I know that in discussions with potential teachers,
I've simply given the overhead + teacher fees + administration formula and divided by some ideal 
number of people (which is always unreasonably high, to drive the fee as low as possible).

At any rate, this is all especially relevant because none of the scheduled classes are projected to even 
cover the teachers' fees (based on current registration numbers).  Should I send out an email to the 
entire TELIC list with the offerings?  I probably should/ will (any information you want me to put in?)

Do we cancel every class that's being offered?  Certainly we can't afford to pay teachers who are 
requesting fees -- what about ones where teachers are foregoing fees?  Still losing money, but not as 
badly and at least there's some degree of continuity.  Is it a school without classes?  I tend to think the 
problem is more a communication one than an overestimation of need, but I'm not sure what the best 
thing to do at the moment is?

On Apr 6, 2008, at 10:22 PM, Elise Co wrote:


I think for sure we have to cancel classes in case #2, and I'd even say maybe we should cancel in case #1 as well (eventually. for now I think it's worth keeping the class schedule as active as possible)

I think we should probably amend the "class offering" email (and comment, on the class page) to say something explicit like "class xxx has been scheduled for xx.xx. The class fee is $xx and registration is open from xx - xx (dates). Students must register and pre-pay in order to take the class" or something like that, maybe friendlier sounding if possible?

For classes that have already been offered (without the benefit of this super-explicit offering comment) perhaps we can send out a similar explanation ASAP so people know they have to pre-register (and pre-pay) to take th class.

Maybe 7 days before the class is scheduled, if there aren't enough people signed up, a warning email goes out that says "unfortunately, this class may be canceled because not enough people have signed up. If you'd like to take the class and haven't registered yet, please do so in the next 2 days" and then once we get to 5 days before the class, we cancel? # of days can be changed of course, I wonder what others think make sense..

-elise



Sean Dockray wrote:
now we're coming up on some classes where teachers have a fee and this means that if we don't have enough students paying then we actually spend more money than we take in.  this can't happen, so it brings up the possibility of canceling the class.
when should this happen? some number of days before the class is scheduled to start?  should it be standard or dependent on the class?
there are 2 degrees of losing money on a class:
1. we don't meet overhead, admin, and teacher's fees (usually overhead takes the loss here because the other two are hard expenses).  here we can still offer the class and just kind of push the loss into the future.  not great but at least classes happen.
2. we don't meet administration and teacher's fees.  here we won't last long because we'll spend rent on teacher's fee and lose the space, so we really can't offer the class.
maybe i worked it all out in this email?  we just need to set a number of days? or are there other thoughts?
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