Andres Rivera
Web Editor

Starting in June 2008 non-traditional students will have another opportunity to receive a degree from the University of La Verne through a new program made possible through a partnership with Moorpark College.

Through a specialized program unique to the University, students will be able to take courses toward a ULV bachelor’s degree at the community college.

“This program isn’t for everyone,” said Stephen Lesniak, dean of the Regional Campus Administration.

“Each locations have different majors and different experiences. Students choose what best suits their needs.”

Geared primarily toward students who will have a hard time traveling to one of La Verne’s regional campuses or the main campus, the University of La Verne at Moorpark College program will offer these students easier access to a college education.

Community college programs can be bisected into two paths – vocational programs and traditional programs designed to help students transfer to a four-year institution.

Moorpark College, like many other community colleges, tries to find ways to help students obtain a bachelor’s degree.

This collaboration with La Verne will coincide with Moor­park’s goals and its Program for Accelerated College Education.

One of the reasons Moorpark was chosen for this program was because of the college’s location.

Moorpark College sits in between the San Fernando Valley campus in Burbank and the Ventura County campus in Oxnard.

Without this program students west of the San Fernando Valley and east of Ventura County would not have a ULV campus within reach, particularly because of traffic, said Kevin Laack, associate director of admissions at the Ventura County campus.

La Verne saw the need to reach more students who, because of work schedules and family situations, would not be able to travel far distances to take night or weekend classes at one of the regional campuses.

“La Verne has been a pioneer in a green orientation,” Lesniak said.
“It’s more environmentally friendly for us to send one professor than to have 15 students commute. It saves students money and time.”

When the program begins in June 2008, the Ventura campus will oversee the ULV students at Moorpark.

“It was a collaborative effort with key people at Moorpark College and key people at ULV,” Laack said.

The Ventura campus will offer the students all the services that are available to every regional campus student, from assistance with class scheduling and financial aid to education on the learning enhancement center and career center services offered at the main campus.

Through the program, students will be able to choose to obtain a bachelor’s in business administration, child development or liberal studies.

These three programs have been found to be the more popular degrees for this demographic.

There will need to be at least 15 students interested in the major before the classes in that program will be made available.

A meeting will be held with the 15 students detailing what the program entails before completing the 44-55 units at the community college.

“They need access to high quality degree programs that ULV offers,” Laack said.

This is not the first time the University has partnered with a community college.

There have been other successful programs established with schools like College of the Canyons, Rio Hondo College and Allan Hancock College, Lesniak said.

Moorpark College and the University will work together each semester to work out a class schedule for this program and the program itself will go under an annual review by both institutions to ensure its effectiveness.

“Major (goal) is being able to offer students the opportunity to finish their bachelor’s without a lot of driving, a lot of travel,” Moorpark College President Eva Conrad said.

Andres Rivera can be reached at arivera3@ulv.edu.