Running head: COMMUNITY COLLEGE VISIT REPORT 1

Community College Visit Report

Rebecca Churton
AET/555 - Overview of the Community College
May 12, 2014
Phyllis Carbonaro
COMMUNITY COLLEGE VISIT REPORT 2


Community College Visit Report
Introduction
This paper discusses Pierce College, a community college in Woodland Hills, California
that I attended for nearly 9 years. Included will be a discussion of this colleges purpose, campus
layout, admissions and registration process, the student population, available student services,
types of degrees and certificates that are offered and their transferability, the available delivery
modalities, and the colleges community relationships and partnerships.
College Purpose
Pierce College is a two-year institution that was founded in 1947 and, at that time, was
primarily an agricultural college. Today, its purpose is to provide occupational training, transfer
education, and life-long learning opportunities, with an emphasis on technology. It is one of 9
colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District and boasts one of the highest transfer
performances in Southern California, generally into the University of California System (Pierce
College, n.d.)
Pierce College provides the following mission statement:
Pierce College is a student-centered learning institution that offers opportunities for
access and success in a diverse college community. The college dedicates its resources to assist
students in identifying and achieving their educational, career, and personal goals. Our
comprehensive curriculum and support services enable students to earn associate degrees and
certificates, prepare for transfer, gain career and technical proficiency, and develop basic skills.
We serve our community by providing opportunities for lifelong learning, economic and
workforce development, and a variety of enrichment activities (Pierce College, n.d.)
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In addition, Pierce College lists nine specific goals that can be viewed on their website at
http://www.piercecollege.edu/pierce_mission.asp.
Campus Layout
The campus is located on 426 acres of beautiful and inspiring land. The campus is
speckled with over 2,200 tress, thousands of rose bushes, a nature preserve, a botanical garden,
and a forest area featuring giant redwoods. Athletic facilities include a stadium, baseball field,
soccer field, tennis courts, swimming pool, and equestrian area. Also on campus is a Center for
Sciences, Library, Student Services Building, College Services Building, and a Performing Arts
Building. As you can see in the map, the campus houses numerous buildings that allow Pierce to
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offer over 400 classes each semester (Pierce College, n.d.)
Admissions and Registration Process
Before students can register for classes, they are required to submit an application for
admission. Once the application is received, each student receives a student identification
number and a date and time to come to the campus to register in person. The registration date
and time is usually within 15 business days from the date the application for admission was
received.
The criteria for admissions eligibility are listed in the catalog as follows:
1. You have graduated from high school or have successfully passed the California
High School Proficiency Examination.
2. You are over 18 years of age and are no longer attending high school and are
capable of profiting from the instruction offered.
3. You are under 18 years of age and not a high school student with special
permission as a full-time student.
4. Concurrent Enrollment at Pierce College and High School (Pierce College, n.d.)
Student Population
The student population at Pierce College is truly diverse, represented by over 21,000 students per
semester. Roughly 55% of students are female and 45% are male. A multitude of ethnicities are
represented, inclusive of hundreds of international students, with the largest percentage of
students (nearly 41%0 being Hispanic. Age ranges vary from students under 20 years in age to
40+ with the largest percentage of the population between 20 to 24 years old (California
Community College's Chancellors Office, 2013).
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Student Services
Pierce College offers a wide array of Student Services inclusive, but not limited to, the
following services or programs:
Assessment Center: provides placement and testing services for prospective and
current students.
ASO (Associated Students Organization): student government which includes a
Senate Club and Club Council which work together to create a student-oriented
environment.
Child Development Center: provides care and education for children of parents
that attend Pierce College.
Counseling: provides academic advisement for students.
Disabled Student Services: also known as Special Services, this program
provides services to students with disabilities.
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EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services): this is a state-funded
program that provides assistance for qualified low-income and educationally
disadvantaged students.
Financial Aid and Scholarships: resource and support for students to find
financial assistance to attend college.
Grades and Transcripts: access for viewing grades and transcripts online
through the Student Information System.
Health Center: professional and cost effective medical care for students.
Transfer Center: resources for students looking to transfer into 4-year programs.
Campus Workshops: workshops provided to students that are geared toward
academic success, career opportunities, or transfer information.
Career Center: assists students with career education, planning, and
development (Pierce College, n.d.)
Types of Degrees and Certificates and Transferability
Pierce College offers an extensive array of Associate of Arts or Science Degrees or
Certificates of Achievement as follows: Addiction Studies, Agriculture, American Sign
Language, Architecture, Art, Business Administration, Child Development, Computer
Applications and Office Technologies, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Electronics,
Environmental Science and Technology, French, Industrial Technology, Italian, Journalism,
Latin American Studies, Mathematics, Music, Nursing, Photojournalism, Political Science, Pre-
Engineering, Spanish, and Theater Arts (Pierce College, n.d.)

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Available Delivery Modalities
In addition to traditional ground classes Pierce College offers some of their courses as
Distance Education or web enhanced courses. This modality is offered as a fully online option
or as a hybrid/blended option where the main delivery is via the web with one or more required
face-to-face meetings. Currently however, Pierce does not have a fully online program for
earning an Associates Degree (Pierce College, n.d.)
Community Relationships and Partnerships
Pierce College continuously works to form partnerships with the community. For
example, in 2012 Pierce College partnered with Whole Foods Market to benefit their horticulture
program (Pierce College Alumni Association, n.d.)
Pierce College also has an ongoing academic outreach program as well as other programs
to support the needs of the community such as a Foster Care and Kinship program, and a
Workforce Education program that can be tailored to a companys specific needs. Pierce College
also has a program specifically tailored to older adults called ENCORE (Pierce College, n.d.)


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References
California Community College's Chancellors Office. (2013). 2014 student success scorecard.
Retrieved from http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/Pages/college-
industry_partnership.aspx
Pierce College Alumni Association. (n.d.). Whole Foods partners with Pierce College to grow
horticulture program. Retrieved from http://www.piercealumni.org/article.html?aid=128
Pierce College. (n.d.). Pierce College. Retrieved from http://www.piercecollege.edu/