Photograph by George Sakkestad
Trinh Tien studies in the student lounge at West Valley College.
West Valley College Anniversary
Student body, curriculum have changed at a dizzying pace in the school's 35-year history
By Michelle Alaimo
When West Valley College first opened its doors 35 years ago, it was a much simpler time. In the '60s, computers hadn't taken over every aspect of people's lives. No one had even heard of Y2K, and Java was just another name for coffee. Teachers at local colleges still wore suits and students went straight from high school to college.
But times have changed, especially at West Valley College.
Now computer lingo has been integrated into everyone's lives; Java is a computer language, and many people fear the Y2K bug will create havoc on Jan. 1, 2000. Along with the technology have come changes in the school's demographics and atmosphere.
These days, instead of jackets and ties, male faculty members are more likely to be attired in the laid-back, casual style that has become the Silicon Valley high-tech look. As warmer weather approaches, some teachers might even wear shorts to school, something unheard of 35 years ago.
Photograph courtesy of West Valley College
In the pre-computer era, WVC business students learned to use adding machines.
Not only have the teachers changed, but so have students. Some wait for years before going to college and many don't live at home. Some have families to support, and they work full-time while keeping current in their fields by taking courses at WVC on the side.
This year, the community college, which started as a junior college housed in the former Campbell Grammar School and is now on Fruitvale Avenue in Saratoga, celebrates its 35th anniversary by taking a look at where it's been and how the college is keeping pace with today's busy lifestyles.
One of the biggest changes at the college--besides the location--has been the curriculum, which has come about primarily in response to changing demographics.
In 1964, the typical student was between the ages of 18 and 21, and most came straight from high school and were living at home, says Dr. Joe Samuels, vice president of instruction. Students took a full class load with plans to move on to a four-year college. Women tended to be in gender-specific classes including cooking and secretarial skills. There was even a class entitled "Figure Control for Women: Instruction for Better Carriage and Coordination."
Today, one would never find such classes in WVC's schedule.
Samuels says that now there is no typical WVC student. The average age is 30. Many already have some college background and are coming back for personal or professional development. Full-time students are now the minority with many more students taking a part-time load of six units to easily fit around their busy lifestyles, Samuels says.
"I think community college students are such a wide variety of people," says Los Gatan and WVC interior design student Cookie Futterman-Spilka. "There are students who work and go to night classes ... just a real diverse cultural group."
And because of the many diverse groups and changing needs of students, Samuels says the curriculum committee must meet weekly just to keep up.
"It's done to meet the needs of the learners," The committee approaches the West Valley-Mission Community College District board almost every two months for approval of new classes and changes to the curriculum. Some of the newer classes include those in the Distance Learning Department where students can log on at home and take classes via the Internet.
Photograph by George Sakkestad
Shinwhea Hsu (left) and Yafen Tsai work together in the modern-day computer lab at West Valley College.
While cooking classes were part of the early curriculum, changing roles for women have dictated an end to gender-specific classes. "We're no longer preparing women for the classic homemaker but for the work place," Samuels says. "The curriculum ... is pretty much wide open to everyone."
Joan Sarlo, a physical education and health education instructor at WVC for the past 35 years credits part of the success of the college to the faculty. "We have a great faculty," Sarlo says. "It's not unusual to have people here for 30 years."
She says the respect between the teachers, administration and the board have led to a great working and cooperative environment. "We all know the reason we are here is to provide the best quality education we can."
While providing the best education possible, the college has not always had the best facilities. When WVC first opened on Sept. 14, 1964, it was known as West Valley Junior College and was located at the old Campbell Grammar School on Campbell Avenue.
Former student Jim Stafford says that WVC was "small, old, and ugly" when he attended the school in 1965. He added that while the facilities were "hokey ... really bad," they lent charm to the school.
The campus was spread out, and classes were held in portable buildings. Stafford, who was a member of the track team, says they had to go to Leigh High School for practice. He remembers that he had to cross the street for his chemistry class. Still, he says, while the facilities weren't so hot, the teachers were excellent because they were very approachable and helpful.
The former biology major who has spent his last 30 years working in the high-tech industry also remembers a time when the community surrounding the Campbell location was not like it is today.
"In those days, there were a lot of dumpy old houses around the school," Stafford says. Students took advantage of low rent in the area to lease houses specifically for the purpose of partying, he recalls.
Students in those days had more money to spare because not only did many live at home but tuition was free. Now, the college offers classes at $12 a unit.
The district, once known as the West Valley Joint Junior College District, was formed by voters on Jan. 8, 1963. It was during a time when there was a general movement to form junior colleges, Sarlo says. At that time, California law mandated that California residents were entitled to a tuition-free education in a public junior college, which, according to the plan, would be a stepping stone to a four-year college. In the 1980s, most junior colleges became community colleges and dropped their high-school-district residency requirements.
Although voters approved forming a new college district, they did not approve a $16 million bond during a March 1964 election. The bond needed a 2/3 vote to pass but only received 58 percent. Even though voters didn't pass the bond which would have paid for the construction of a new campus at an undetermined location, construction plans went on as scheduled.
Since a bond was never approved by voters, the state legislature stepped in and loaned the district the money to build WVC. With the money issue resolved, the district had to decide on a site. Sarlo remembers the controversy over Saratoga being chosen as the location.
"The city basically didn't want a college in Saratoga," Sarlo says. "They were not supportive of the college." After nerves within the city were calmed, WVC began its plans to begin nearly 10 years of construction. Students first attended classes on the new campus in 1967, and as new buildings were completed, the student body expanded until the move was complete in 1975.
"Now the college is a great asset to the community," Sarlo says.
Saratoga City Manager Larry Perlin agrees.
WVC and the city have worked together on a number of projects over the years. Some of the most recent ones include the building of a natural gas fueling station behind City Hall and the construction of wetlands on the college campus.
In both cases, Perlin says it was mutually beneficial for the two to work together. For the fueling station, WVC had a grant to build the station but no location on which to put it. With the wetlands, the city needed to satisfy a lawsuit agreement, and the college had a perfect location for the wetlands.
The city has also helped improve the college facilities including resurfacing the tennis courts in exchange for their use, Perlin says. He adds that the city is able to save a "substantial" amount of money by using the college printshop for the printing of city business cards and stationery at a reduced price.
WVC President Marchelle Fox says there are also simple things the college does to help the community, such as providing a location for shuttles to Montalvo events and a meeting place for parents and students from Saratoga's Redwood Middle School who will be attending Strawberry Park school next year during school construction.
Photograph courtesy of West Valley College
In WVC's early days, women learned to cook in preparation for their role as homemakers.
She says it's all part of supporting a community that supports the college. As a way of reaching out to other communities it serves, such as Los Gatos and Campbell, Fox says the college works closely with businesses by offering special programs. Some include seminars on how businesses can be more profitable. The school sometimes works with local Chambers of Commerce on seminars.
Although the relationship between the college and the city of Saratoga has been a cooperative one in many respects, there have been rough spots in the road. One is the ongoing debate over what constitutes a stadium. The debate, in fact, has sparked a lawsuit.
City Manager Perlin says the lawsuit is something that both sides would like to put behind them, but they need to wait for a court decision.
A Saratoga city ordinance adopted by voters in the 1970s prohibits the development of a stadium within the city. Although Perlin admits that WVC has never indicated that it intends to build a stadium on the college grounds, the possibility could be in the college's long-term plans.
"There has been considerable debate on if they can build anything at all," Perlin says.
What does the future hold for WVC? Having never passed a bond issue, it is becoming apparent that upgrades and renovations are in order--not just for the WVC campus but for new buildings at its sister campus, Mission College in Santa Clara.
Board vice-president and former Saratoga mayor Don Wolfe says the board is discussing the possibility of a bond issue on the 2000 ballot. First, the board is gathering input from faculty and staff to see if a bond measure would have support. Once that is determined, Wolfe says the board will decide whether to go forward with a 30-year bond.
In the meantime, Fox says WVC will continue to focus on life-long learning and will develop classes to meet the busy schedules of today's students.
In honor of its 35th year, WVC will host a number of anniversary-related events throughout the year. WVC will host a community barbecue on April 17 at 11:30 in the West Valley College Campus Center. The event will feature food, drink, live music, a 5K Dream run/sleep walk plus a time capsule opening. For information, call 741-4041.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
