New College Born : Irvine Valley Becomes Official, Independent Entity

Solemnly, under the scorching midday sun on Monday, the community college band played a mournful “Taps.”

As the band played, college staff members rolled up, for the last time, banners that read “North Campus, Saddleback College.”

Thus passed the old.

A minute later, the band broke into a spirited, lively tune, “Sixth Calvary Fanfare.” And as the band beat out this musical charge into the future, dignitaries unveiled the new, permanent sign: “Irvine Valley College.” The crowd of about 75 people broke into cheers and released scores of helium-filled balloons.

Thus was born the new.

Independent Entity

“This is the only new college in the state,” pronounced Bill Watts, president of the board of trustees of Saddleback Community College District. He referred to the fact that Irvine Valley College was on Monday becoming an official, independent entity--no longer just the northern extension of Saddleback College, 14 miles away in Mission Viejo.

The ceremonies marking the change of status underscored a number of points:

- Orange County was getting its eighth community college. State officials in Sacramento said Irvine Valley’s separate status now raises to 106 the total number of community colleges in the state.

- Saddleback District Chancellor Larry Stevens announced that Irvine Valley College was off to a good start financially. The new state budget signed by Gov. George Deukmejian, noted Stevens, contains $4 million to build two new classroom buildings on the Irvine Valley campus at Jeffrey Road and Irvine Center Drive in Irvine.

- The mayors of the three cities served by the new college--Irvine, Tustin and Laguna Beach--all said that their communities stand to benefit from the change.

- Watts said that the college, which now has about 6,000 students, is projected to have an enrollment of about 25,000 within the next 15 years.

Landscaped Grounds

Irvine Valley College has existed as the North Campus of Saddleback College since 1979. The campus has handsome, red-brick class and administration buildings, surrounded by landscaped lawns and parking areas.

Board members split 4-3 last April 8 on the motion to make the North Campus a separate, new college. Trustee Eugene McKnight said he worried about “unnecessary duplication of facilities” and voted against the move. The four trustees in the majority, however, vowed that the independence move would mean no waste of money. Independence was set for the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.

Trustees who had voted against separate status were at the dedication Monday, indicating that there is no lasting board rift over creation of the new college.

“Today is our birthday,” said Ed Hart, president of Irvine Valley, as the dedication ceremonies got under way.

“We need you,” said Martha Collison, mayor pro-tem of Laguna Beach, in praising the new college. Added Tustin Mayor Frank Greinke, “Congratulations on your birthday; it’s nice to be a part of the college.”

Officials Backed Move

Irvine Mayor David Sills said, “I can’t tell you how happy I am today.” (Irvine business and civic officials had especially pushed for a separate community college.)

Stevens said that the two new buildings funded in the state budget will double the classroom space at Irvine Valley. He said construction of the science building is expected to be under way by the fall of 1987, with the new technology building to be launched the next spring.

Thus, said Stevens, the new college is off to “a very auspicious beginning.”

Stevens, however, noted that the searing outdoor heat, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, was less than auspicious at the ceremonies. College President Hart said the unusually hot weather is why the speeches were kept “mercifully short.”

Nonetheless, several balloons exploded in the heat before they could be released. And Irvine Mayor Sills, stoically standing in the heat for his brief talk, looked down at the nametag on his shirt that was wrinkling in the heat. “I’ve had to wear nametags many times,” Sills told the crowd. “But this is the first time I’ve had one wilt on me.”