LOCATION
The Imperial Valley College is located in the
Imperial Valley, long recognized as one of the richest, most
productive agricultural regions in the country. The mild, delightful
winters have made the region attractive to tourists and helped it to
become an outstanding recreational region.
The campus is located on a 160-acre site at the
intersection of Highway 111 and Aten Road. This location is in the
heart of Imperial County and is within reasonable commuting distance
of all of the cities of the Valley.
HISTORY OF IMPERIAL VALLEY COLLEGE
The Imperial Valley College is an integral part of
the public school system of California and functions as a public
community college for lower-division college work.
It had its beginning on May 9, 1022 when the Board
of Trustees of the Central Union High School District of El Centro
passed a resolution establishing the Central Junior College. This
institution formally opened for instruction in September 1922.
Two years later, in the fall of 1924, the Brawley
Union High School District opened classes at the Brawley Junior
College.
Enrollments increased in both schools until the war
years, when attendance dropped sharply. Brawley Junior College was
forced, by lack of attendance, to discontinue classes at the close of
the 1947 school year.
Central Junior College first conferred the
Associate in Arts degree in 1934.
In the fall of 1951, students, in cooperation with
the administration and faculty, petitioned the Board of Trustees for a
more representative name for the college, for it was now serving
students from all of the Imperial Valley. By action of the Board, the
name was officially changed to Imperial Valley College.
The school, under the administration of the Central
Union High School District, gained recognition as an accredited
institution of higher education. As the institution grew with the
community, this growth was reflected in the steady rise in enrollment
and in the diversity of courses and curricula that was offered.
The extended-day program, which offered regular college classes at
night, was initiated on a limited |
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basis in 1952. Its rapid growth served to enlarge
the service of the college to the community.
A recommendation that such a countywide community
college district be established in Imperial County was submitted to
the State Department of Education and was approved on July 10, 1959.
The County Superintendent of Schools then set a date for an election
at which all qualified voters residing within the boundaries of the
seven high school and unified school districts were eligible to vote.
The election was held on October 6, 1959; and by an overwhelming vote
of twelve to one, the Imperial Valley Junior College District was
established. This was followed by the election of the members of the
Junior College District Board of Trustees, one of whom comes from each
of the seven high schools or unified school districts represented in
the area served by the Imperial Junior College District.
This District includes all of Imperial County
except a small area in the northwest corner of the County, which is a
part of the Coachella Valley Community College District.
Because of the increase in enrollment at both
Central Union High School and the Imperial Valley College, and because
of the lack of space on the campus of the Central Union High School in
El Centro, the Imperial Valley College moved to temporary quarters
erected on the campus of the Imperial Valley Union High School in
Imperial, California.
On October 4, 1960, the people of Imperial County
set an all-time state record when they voted thirteen to one in favor
of bonds to finance the building of a new campus.
The Board of Trustees selected a nationally known
architectural firm to plan the new buildings, and a 160 acre site,
which met the criteria recommended by the Citizens’ Committee, was
selected for the new campus.
On January 13, 1971, the Board of Trustees changed the name of the
District to Imperial Community College District in order to further
emphasize the close relationship the college has with its service
area.
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