Santa Monica College

Last updated

Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College seal.svg
Former names
Santa Monica Junior College
(1929–1945)
Santa Monica City College
(1945–1970)
Motto
  • Humanitas
  • Veritas
  • Munus
 (Latin)
Motto in English
  • Friendliness
  • Truth
  • Service
Type Public community college
Established1929;95 years ago (1929)
Academic affiliation
 CCCS
ACCJC
Budget$559.2 million (2021-2022) [1]
President Kathryn E. Jeffery
Academic staff
2,023
Students29,615 (fall 2020) [2]
9,351 full-time
16,925 part-time
Other students
3,339 non-credit
Location
Santa Monica, California
,
U.S.

34°01′00″N118°28′15″W / 34.0168°N 118.4707°W / 34.0168; -118.4707
CampusUrban
38 acres (15 ha)
Newspaper The Corsair
Colors     Blue and white
Nickname Corsairs
Sporting affiliations
 CCCAA – WSC,
SCFA (football)
MascotPico the Corsair
Website smc.edu
Santa Monica College logo.svg

Santa Monica College (SMC) is a public community college in Santa Monica, California. Founded as a junior college in 1929, SMC enrolls over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study. The college initially served pre-college high school students, eventually expanding its enrollment to educate college-age and non-traditional students with the intention to transfer to a four-year university. The college has high transfer rates to four-year universities such as the University of California and California State University campuses, being a leader among state community colleges in transfers to the former. [3]

Contents

History

20th century

Santa Monica Junior College was established in September 1929 with 7 faculty members and 153 students in classes held on the second floor of Santa Monica High School. Attended primarily by high school students, it was originally part of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Despite the ensuing Wall Street Crash of 1929 and Great Depression, the school's enrollment increased to 355 in 1930 and 600 in 1931. In 1932, the college moved to the vacant brick Garfield Elementary School building on Michigan Avenue. The building was declared unsafe following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake and classes moved to tents and bungalows on the Garfield site, which students nicknamed Splinterville.

In 1940, following a number of failed attempts to relocate to a larger property, the school purchased 6.18 acres on Pico Boulevard for $10,197. In 1945, the junior college changed its name to Santa Monica City College. [4] The Pico Boulevard and 17th Street campus opened on January 18, 1952, to 1,200 students. The college's first bond measure was passed in 1946 for the construction of Corsair Stadium, which began in 1946 and was completed in 1948. In 1969, the college secured its own governing board under the creation of the Santa Monica Junior College District. In 1970, the school changed its name from Santa Monica City College to Santa Monica College. [5] [6]

Financial crisis

Santa Monica College experienced a financial crisis in 1972 when the state of California changed the age of majority from 21 to 18. Since the state paid $40 more per unit of attendance of minors than adults, the change cut SMC's budget in half. Additionally, state funding for community college students in California went to the student's home district and not the college's district. SMC had a contract with the City of Los Angeles to finance students from Los Angeles but since one-third of SMC students were from districts outside of Los Angeles the city would lose even more funding. As a result, Los Angeles planned to cancel its financial compensation contract with SMC. The college consequently sent termination letters to all faculty and staff, effective September 1972. The crisis was halted on March 8, 1972, when the California State Senate passed a bill temporarily exempting community colleges from the financial effects of the change in the age of adulthood. On March 21, 1972, the college renegotiated its contract with the City of Los Angeles and rehired its faculty and staff. [7]

In 1980, the college built a new library and transformed the previous library building into the Letters and Science Building.

21st century

In 2012 Santa Monica College received national attention due to a controversial plan to create a two-tier system of education in which more "popular" courses would be offered at higher costs. Protests at a board meeting immediately following the plan's proposal led to several students being pepper sprayed. A report on the event resulted in an officer's dismissal. The report also faulted several members of the protest for provoking officers. [8] Some people exclaimed "We got pepper sprayed! We won" after the incident. [9]

2013 shooting

On June 7, 2013, a killing spree occurred in Santa Monica that left a total of five people dead, including the gunman and injured five others. The incident started several miles off-campus before the gunman traveled to SMC and entered the college's library, where he was later fatally shot by police. School officials put the campus on lockdown as Los Angeles Police Department officers, including SWAT, cleared the campus. Local law enforcement stated that they did not view the incident as a "school shooting" because the incident started off-campus. [10]

2024 shooting

On October 14, 2024, a tragic shooting occurred at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Center for Media and Design, where a custodial operations manager, Felicia Hudson, was critically injured. The incident took place just before 10:00 PM, leading to her immediate hospitalization. [11] She succumbed to her injuries and died two days later, on October 16. [12] The shooting has been classified as a case of workplace violence, with the suspect identified as Davon Durell Dean, also an SMC employee. After an extensive manhunt, Dean was found deceased in his vehicle in Hawthorne, having died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. [13] The college closed all campuses the remainder of the week to prioritize safety and support for the community. Classes resumed and the campus reopened again on Monday, October 21st.

Organization and governance

Santa Monica College is the only college of the Santa Monica Community College District, a constituent community college district of the California Community Colleges System (CCCS). The district is governed by its seven-member board of trustees and its officers including the Superintendent/President. [14] The district territory includes Santa Monica and Malibu.

The trustees are elected at-large from registered voters within the district for four years. A student trustee also participates in board meetings as a non-voting member and is elected by the students for one year. The board appoints and supervises the superintendent/president and sets district policy.

The Superintendent of the Santa Monica Community College District/President of Santa Monica College has delegated authority to set rules and regulations for the district and Santa Monica College. The superintendent/president is accountable to the board, and all other officers are accountable to the superintendent/president. [15]

The board of trustees includes a student trustee in accordance with board policy BP 2015. [16] The student trustee is elected and removed in accordance with the constitution and by-laws of the Associated Students of Santa Monica College. [17]

Campus

SMC Quad with the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) building in the background Smcboardwalkandhss.jpg
SMC Quad with the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) building in the background

SMC's main campus is located at 1900 Pico Boulevard and is the college's largest location. The college operates six satellite campuses across Santa Monica and Malibu:

Academics

Santa Monica College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). It offers a variety of occupational certificate programs, including accounting, fashion design, office information systems, and the Academy of Entertainment Technology (which offers certificates in interactive media and animation). The college also offers logistics and supply chain programs at AAS and certificate level. [18] The Santa Monica College Arts Mentor Program provides certain students in the fine and applied arts with graduate-level training by professionals in their specialized fields.

Athletics

Pico the Corsair at Homecoming 2010 Picoatagame.JPG
Pico the Corsair at Homecoming 2010

Santa Monica College fields 18 sports, eight men's teams and competes as a member of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) in the Western State Conference (WSC) for all sports except football, which competes in Southern California Football Association (SCFA). [19] The mascot for SMC is Pico the Corsair. [20] Pico the Corsair derives his name from Pico Boulevard, one of the four main streets which form the exterior perimeter of the campus. He sails on the ship the Lady Sixteen with his pet Pearl the Parrot while carrying his Sword of Silberkraus. [20] [21] The Lady Sixteen and Pearl are named after 16th street and Pearl Street respectively.

SMC fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and water polo. SMC fields men's teams in football, and women's beach volleyball, softball, and tennis teams.

Santa Monica College football played undefeated seasons in 1958, 1966, 1980, and 2015.[ citation needed ]

Santa Monica College won the Junior Rose Bowl, the unofficial National Championship, in 1958 against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College on December 13, 1958. [22] [23]

Santa Monica College Football is the defending two-time conference champion, for the years 2011 and 2012.

Corsair Field (4,850) built in 1948, is home to football and track and field. The field was the starting point for both the men's and women's marathon events for the 1984 Summer Olympics held in neighboring Los Angeles. [24]

Corsair Pavilion (1,600) is home to men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams, as well as the Hollywood Fame of the American Basketball Association

The Santa Monica College men's volleyball team won the national intercollegiate volleyball championship each year from 1961 to 1966, except for 1965, when it lost the title to UCLA. [25]

Student life

Fall Demographics of student body
Ethnic Breakdown2018 [26] 2015 [27]
Hispanic and Latino American 40%39%
Black 9%9.2%
Asian American 9%15.7%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 0%N/A
White 26%27.5%
Multiracial Americans 5%N/A
International students 10%11.2%
Unknown1%7.4%
Female 54%N/A
Male 46%N/A

In the fall of 2015, there were 33,964 students enrolled at SMC. Of these students:

The average age was 24.1 years.

Santa Monica College is the home of KCRW (89.9 FM), a public radio station, broadcasting throughout the Los Angeles and Orange County area with an estimated 450,000 listeners.[ citation needed ] The station is the broadcast home of Morning Becomes Eclectic .

As part of its hands-on media curriculum, the college produces its own weekly, student-run newspaper (both in print, and online) called The Corsair . The newspaper began as The SaMoJaC and was published every two weeks before being renamed The Corsair in 1945. As part of the college's academic curriculum, publication of The Corsair also provides experience as a hands-on training vehicle for Southern California journalism students.

Big Blue Bus Line 10 departing Santa Monica Big Blue Bus 4811.jpg
Big Blue Bus Line 10 departing Santa Monica

SMC students have established a student body association named Associated Students of Santa Monica College (AS). [28] [29] The association is required by law to "encourage students to participate in the governance of the college". [30] SMC's Associated Students is a member of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, a statewide community college student advocacy organization. The statewide Student Senate is authorized by law "to advocate before the Legislature and other state and local governmental entities". [31]

SMC students who pay the $19.50 Associated Students fee at registration have unlimited access to the Big Blue Bus lines across Santa Monica and its adjacent neighborhoods, including a line on Lincoln Boulevard that accesses Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Notable alumni

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Monica, California</span> City in the United States

Santa Monica is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing to its climate, beaches, and hospitality industry. It has a diverse economy, hosting headquarters of companies such as Hulu, Activision Blizzard, Universal Music Group, Lionsgate, Illumination and The Recording Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak Park, California</span> Place in California, United States

Oak Park is an unincorporated community in southeastern Ventura County, California, United States. When developed in the Simi Hills in the late 1960s, a single road provided the only access to the community from Agoura Hills, California, in neighboring Los Angeles County. As of the 2010 census, Oak Park had a population of 14,266, down from 14,625 at the 2000 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Oak Park as a census-designated place (CDP). The census definition of the area may not precisely correspond to local understanding of the area with the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepperdine University</span> Christian university in Los Angeles County, California

Pepperdine University is a private Christian research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. Pepperdine's main campus consists of 830 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, California. Founded by entrepreneur George Pepperdine in South Los Angeles in 1937, the school expanded to Malibu in 1972. Courses are now taught at a main Malibu campus, three graduate campuses in Southern California, a center in Washington, D.C., and international campuses in Buenos Aires, Argentina; London, United Kingdom; Heidelberg, Germany; Florence, Italy; and Blonay – Saint-Légier, Switzerland.

The Los Angeles Westside is an urban region in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has no official definition, but sources like LA Weekly and the Mapping L.A. survey of the Los Angeles Times place the region on the western side of the Los Angeles Basin south of the Santa Monica Mountains.

West Los Angeles is an area within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The residential and commercial neighborhood is divided by the Interstate 405 freeway, and each side is sometimes treated as a distinct neighborhood, mapped differently by different sources. Each lies within the larger Westside region of Los Angeles County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawtelle, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States

Sawtelle is a neighborhood in West Los Angeles, on the Westside of Los Angeles, California. The short-lived City of Sawtelle grew around the Pacific Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, later the Sawtelle Veterans Home, and was incorporated as a city in 1899. Developed by the Pacific Land Company, and named for its manager W. E. Sawtelle, the City of Sawtelle was independent for fewer than 30 years before it was annexed by the City of Los Angeles.

Compton College is a public community college in Compton, California. From 2006, when it lost its regional accreditation, to 2017, when it regained that accreditation, it operated as a part of El Camino College. Before and after the partnership with El Camino College, the college was operated by the Compton Community College District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Monica High School</span> Public school in California, United States

Santa Monica High School, officially abbreviated to Samohi, is a public high school in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1891, it changed location several times in its early years before settling into its present campus at 601 Pico Boulevard. It is a part of the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles City College</span> Community college in Los Angeles, California, US

Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). From 1947 to 1955, the college shared its campus with California State University, Los Angeles, then known as Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences (LASCAAS), before the university moved to its present campus of 175 acres (71 ha) in the northeastern section of the City of Los Angeles, 5 miles (8 km) east of the Civic Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid City, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States of America

Mid City is a neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico Boulevard</span> Major Los Angeles street

Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, California, United States. It is named after Pío Pico, the last Mexican governor of Alta California.

The western border of Santa Monica, California, is the 3-mile (4.8 km) stretch of Santa Monica Bay. On its other sides, the city is bordered by various districts of Los Angeles: the northwestern border is Pacific Palisades, the eastern border is Brentwood north of Wilshire Boulevard and West Los Angeles south of Wilshire, the northeastern border is generally San Vicente Boulevard up to the Riviera Country Club, the southwestern border is Venice Beach and the southern border is with West Los Angeles and Mar Vista.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malibu High School</span> Public school in Malibu, California, United States

Malibu High School (MHS) is a public high school in Malibu, California. The school is one of three high schools in the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District and serves students in the city of Malibu and surrounding communities.

Whittier Union High School District is a California high school district in Los Angeles County, California, headquartered in Whittier. The union high school district was formed in 1900 and is currently composed of five comprehensive high schools, two alternative high schools, and an adult education center. Combined, these schools serve over 13,000 students. The school district is overseen by its current Superintendent, Dr. Monica Oviedo. The Board of Trustees is composed of five members, elected by trustee areas. The elections are currently held on a Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies</span> Public, magnet, college-prep school in Los Angeles, California, United States

The Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies is a public university preparatory secondary school located on 18th Street between La Cienega Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in the Faircrest Heights district of Los Angeles, California, on the former site of Louis Pasteur Middle School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Monica Public Library</span>

The Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) is the public library serving residents of Santa Monica, California and surrounding areas. SMPL is directed by a City Librarian, who reports to the Santa Monica City Manager's Office and is overseen by a Library Board consisting of five members appointed by the Santa Monica City Council.

The Bassett Unified School District is a California public unified school district based in the La Puente Valley of the eastern region of the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Santa Monica shootings</span> Shooting spree in Santa Monica, California, US

On June 7, 2013, a spree shooting occurred in Santa Monica, California. Its catalyst was a domestic dispute and subsequent fire at a home, followed by a series of shootings near and on the Santa Monica College campus. Six people were killed, including the suspect, and four injured. The shooter — 23-year-old John Zawahri — was killed by police officers when he exchanged gunfire with them at the Santa Monica College library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Allen (California politician)</span> American politician

Benjamin J. "Ben" Allen is an American attorney and Democratic politician. He has been a California state senator representing the 26th district from 2015 to 2022 and the 24th district since 2022. He previously served as University of California Student Regent and Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District school board member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Deasy</span> American politician

John Edward Deasy is an American businessman who served as a superintendent for multiple school districts from 1996 until 2020. He first served as superintendent for Coventry Public Schools, the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District, and Prince George's County Public Schools. Deasy became the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District on April 15, 2011, succeeding Ramon Cortines. He served until his resignation on October 15, 2014, at which point Cortines was appointed as his successor. He later served as the superintendent of Stockton Unified School District from 2018 until 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "2021-2022 Tentative Budget Narrative" (PDF). Santa Monica College. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Fast Facts Fall 2020" (PDF). Santa Monica College. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Transfer Statistics". Santa Monica Community College. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Santa Monica College: A Community's College". Santa Monica College. Fall 2004. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  5. ↑ Yan, Ellen (November 12, 1989). "Santa Monica College Shows Some Cheek in Looking Back on 60 Years". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Corsair 18 October 1989 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Corsair 21 November 2001 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  8. ↑ "SMC Review Panel".
  9. ↑ "Future of Contract Ed Uncertain". The Corsair Online. April 13, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Stan; Levs, Josh; Martinez, Michael (June 9, 2013). "Santa Monica shooting victim dies, bringing toll to 5". CNN. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Santa Monica College employee in critical condition after shooting on campus". Los Angeles Times. October 15, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Santa Monica College employee dies two days after being shot on campus". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  13. ↑ Lagatta, Eric. "Suspect dead after shooting at Santa Monica College severely injures employee: Police". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  14. ↑ Bylaws of the Board of Trustees Archived 2013-07-02 at the Wayback Machine of the Santa Monica Community College District
  15. ↑ Policy of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Monica Community College District § 2110
  16. ↑ SMCCD Board Policy "BP 2015, Student Trustee".
  17. ↑ Associated Students of Santa Monica College "Constitution and By-Laws".
  18. ↑ Logistics Programs
  19. ↑ "2019-20 CCCAA Directory" (PDF). California Community College Athletic Association. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  20. 1 2 "Pico op Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
  21. ↑ "File:Santa Monica College Masscot Pico the Pirate and his Sword Silberkraus.jpg". Wikimedia Commons . Retrieved June 18, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  22. ↑ Junior Rose Bowl
  23. ↑ "1958 JUNIOR ROSE BOWL CHAMPS TO BE INDUCTED INTO SMC SPORTS HALL OF FAME". Smc.edu. December 13, 1958. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
  24. ↑ 1984 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 97–8.
  25. ↑ Rodrigo, Arambawattage (1981). The History of Intercollegiate Volleyball in the United States from 1895 to the Present Day (PDF) (Ph.D.). The Ohio State University. pp. 51–74. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  26. ↑ "2018 USNEWS: Santa Monica College Overview".
  27. ↑ See Demographics of California and Demographics of the United States for references.
  28. ↑ Associated Students of Santa Monica College tax status and financial reports.
  29. ↑ Associated Students of Santa Monica College "A.S. Board of Directors".
  30. ↑ Section 76060 of the California Education Code. Retrieved 2018-5-10.
  31. ↑ Section 76060.5 of the California Education Code. Retrieved 2018-5-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.