15 hours Ago By STAFF REPORT
IMPERIAL — Imperial Valley College has applied to start a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Automation. Gail Warner, interim Vice President for Academic Services, presented last week on the impact of Assemblyman Jose Medina’s AB 927. Warner said in 2021 California Community Colleges had a pilot program allowing a limited number of community colleges to offer bachelor degrees.
The pilot program was set to expire, limiting education opportunities. So, Assemblyman Medina introduced the bill that was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 6, 2021. The interim Vice President for Academic Services reported that the bill amends the Education Code to make significant changes to community college offerings.
According to Warner, IVC is expected to submit its application on January 15, 2025. Warner underlined that IVC's 4-year program builds on the existing lithium industry force training certificate programs and a new associate degree in industrial automation systems Also, it provides a seamless transition for IVC students to earn a bachelor‘s degree and aligns with Imperial County’s evolving economic landscape that has traditionally been agricultural and would expand into renewable energy and sustainable mineral extraction from the Salton Sea Geothermal Resource Area. Such an area is estimated to have 15 million metric tons of lithium that can potentially meet national demands.
Law Impact AB 927 expands and extends baccalaureate degree programs at community colleges indefinitely by removing the pilot status. It allows up to 30 new baccalaureate degree programs to be approved in two cycles per academic year — January 15 and August 15 annually. According to Warner, the bill seeks to make bachelor‘s degrees more accessible and affordable for California students, while addressing unmet workforce needs.
IVC's Bachelor's degree program proposal aligns with its Mission Statement, Vision 2030, and the anticipated Lithium Workforce Need. The interim Vice President of Academic Services noted in her presentation that Imperial County Bachelor’s Degree or higher attainment is at 16.6%.
The process Community colleges must submit detailed applications to the Chancellor's Office. Then, applications are reviewed for compliance, quality, and non-duplication of CSU/UC programs. Approved programs are sent to the Board of Governor’s President for final approval.
The presentation reads that the program expands educational opportunities for community college students, potentially increases the number of bachelor’s degree holders in California, and addresses specific workforce needs in various regions and industries. IVC must comply with certain components, including policy, institutional financial stability, equitable student outcomes, program quality, non-duplication, institutional capacity, curriculum, and program design. The application must include workforce need and demand evidence, a program description, and an administrative and funding plan.
It must also be consulted with regional employers and workforce development boards. Applications that receive a qualifying score are awarded conditional or provisional status pending approval from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), intersegmental agreement, and the Board of Governors' full approval. Applications that do not receive a qualifying score are not approved but are eligible for revision and resubmission during a future application cycle.
Implementation Warner highlighted several program benefits, including new job opportunities, long-term economic growth, and a skilled workforce for emerging industries. IVC's bachelor's degree is expected to prepare students for high-demand careers in industrial automation, support local economic development, and enhance educational opportunities in the region. Currently, 38 California community colleges offer baccalaureate programs.
IVC's project is based on and modeled after the one offered by Bakersfield College. IVC's program implementation is expected for Fall 2026. The college's application has been supported by Energy Source, BHE Renewables, Imperial CBD Extraction, Spreckels Sugar Company, and Imperial Irrigation District.
IVC's project includes lower-division major courses and upper-division major courses, including plant operator, programmable logic controllers, safety standards, integrated math for technical fields, Microsoft Word, Excel, industrial automation networks, industrial leadership, maintenance and operators, applied method, motion process control, corrosion management, quality management, thermal systems management, systems design and integration, and several others..
