Countywide : Ethnic, Women’s Class to Be Required

Trustees of the Ventura County Community College District have voted to require students who want to transfer to a four-year university to take an ethnic or women’s studies class.

Under the old standard, only students pursuing an associate degree were required to take an ethnic or women’s studies class.

But beginning in the fall, liberal arts and science students at Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura colleges will have to pass an ethnic or women’s studies class if they plan to get an associate degree or transfer to another school.

The board voted 3 to 2 Tuesday to make it mandatory, with trustees Karen Boone and Timothy Hirschberg dissenting.

“I think that social sensitivity courses should take a back seat to our academic mission,” Hirschberg said.

However, faculty members argued that the studies are valuable to students’ education and noted that many four-year universities are also requiring such courses.