CSUCI as Prototype for Universities

A few Saturdays ago, I dropped in on our new campus, Cal State Channel Islands, and a wonderful thing happened: I had to search for an empty parking space. Most people in this situation would probably grumble about it. But for me, it was a thrill.

I was delighted to find that the campus was buzzing with activity--on a Saturday morning, no less--and I was proud to see that even in its infancy, our newest campus has become a well-utilized community resource.

What is particularly exciting about CSUCI is that it will serve as a prototype for the kinds of activities we want to see at all of our universities in the 21st century.

For example, CSUCI has established a strong focus on teacher preparation and education. This emphasis will allow CSUCI to build an important foundation for the future, giving new teachers the training they need to help the students of tomorrow.

In addition, the significant number of students who come to the Cal State University system needing remedial help with college-level skills has long been a concern. As a new campus, CSUCI is able to get a head start on this issue, building and strengthening relationships with local K-12 schools before it even opens its doors to freshmen in the next few years.

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CSUCI is already at work on several exciting programs in both of these areas.

Recognizing the importance of accessible, high-quality teacher preparation, for instance, CSUCI has laid the groundwork for the Secondary Teaching for Advanced Recruits, or STAR, program. This program is preparing those in the military and other professions to be middle or high school teachers.

The classes are being offered in the evening--thus enabling students to continue their regular jobs--and feature video conferencing, online study and lectures. As taught by faculty from Cal State Northridge, the program will help respond to the anticipated need for additional teachers as our school enrollments continue to increase.

Another recent contribution to CSUCI’s teacher preparation response is the formation of the CSUCI Lab School and Steering Committee.

A 600-student K-8 school, modeling the best teaching and administrative practices, will be built on the campus site in 2002. The school’s planning group is made up of 48 area superintendents, teachers, professors and parents representing all the school districts of Ventura County that are invited to send students to the lab school. These participants report that the enthusiasm about this project is already palpable.

I am also pleased with CSUCI’s efforts to ensure that students have adequate preparation in college entry-level skills before they reach the university. For example, CSUCI is working to help Oxnard Union High School District juniors increase math and English proficiency for college placement tests. The program, known as Project ASPIRE--Achieving Student Progress and Increasing Readiness for Education--aims to reduce students’ need for remedial education once they reach college.

Funded by the Ventura County Community Foundation and matched by the high school district, its activities include exchanges between university and high school faculty, as well as tutoring by current CSU students. A similar program is underway at Santa Paula High School.

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Earlier this month, CSUCI hosted a leadership academy for high school counselors, designed to help participants shift to outcomes-based guidance programs. The workshop will help counselors better assist students with future planning and preparation for college.

Throughout all of these activities, CSUCI continues to work closely with a consortium of regional school superintendents and community college presidents. These conversations represent an important step in creating an educational system that is seamless, from kindergarten to the university. Along with the programs to improve teacher preparation and eliminate the need for remedial education, this collaboration should have a long-term positive impact on Ventura County students.

Looking around CSUCI’s bustling library, computer labs and classrooms that Saturday morning, I felt incredibly proud of the way our new campus is developing.

Given the good communication that CSUCI has established with fellow educators, I am optimistic that the university will be able to serve its students and the community with high-quality, relevant programs for years to come.

And given the amount of activity on campus that morning, I am confident that it has made a positive impact already.