By Stephanie Sumell, Moorpark Acorn -
Moorpark College
After an investigation that lasted nearly a year, the Ventura County grand jury in May commended Moorpark College’s registered nursing program for offering a high-quality education.
Students who complete the two-year program, which is accredited by the California State Board of Registered Nursing, earn an associate’s degree in nursing.
But the students’ 100 percent pass rate on the state board ex- amination and 100 percent graduation rate in their fourth and final semester of the program in 2012 seemed “too good to be true,” said grand jury foreperson Jay Whitney.
The exceptional outcome realized by the program was one reason the grand jury decided to launch the investigation in July 2012.
“ We’re naturally skeptical people,” Whitney said. “We wanted to make sure that taxpayers are getting their money’s worth and that the students are getting their money’s worth.”
Now, he said, “we have a huge success story. We’re happy to shout from the rooftops that we have an example of what we think is a positive outcome of taxpayers’ dollars and students’ hard work.”
Whitney said the jury has an ongoing interest in the Ventura County Community College District, an entity that has been highly criticized over the past year and had its accreditation threatened.
“They have a huge budget,” he said. “The number of students they affect, the number of people they employ, the amount of money they spend . . . everything’s a constant concern to us because of their size.”
Whitney said grand jury investigations often involve interviews, impromptu visits and document inspections.
“All cases take on a life of their own,” he said.
Each report must be approved by at least 12 of the 19 jurors.
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors provides advice on any legal issues that have been brought to light in the grand jury’s report.
The report must be approved by a superior court judge before it is published.
Whitney said the grand jury has no special authority to take legal action against the individuals, businesses or institutions it investigates.
“Although we have no more (legal) power than you do, we hope to put the spotlight on wrongdoers and the people we think are guilty of misconduct,” he said. “We can point it out, we can publicize it and we can give it the amount of attention we think it deserves. The hope is that there is enough pressure to get other parties involved.”
Because there were no issues with the program, no such action was needed, Whitney said.
“It’s a laudatory report.”
“ It’s very positive,” said Clare Giesan, the director of administrative relations for the Ventura County Community College District. “We’re pleased because it’s an excellent program.”
Carol Higashida, the nursing program’s health sciences coordinator, said the students’ success is the result of hard work and good instructors.
“Course exams are designed with National Council Licensure Examination-style questions that become progressively more complex from one semester to the next,” she said in an email. “Students are also required to take practice online National Council Licensure Examination tests and complete remediation (exercises) if they do not achieve benchmark scores.”
Agoura Hills resident Darin Ross, a recent nursing graduate, said he never doubted the program’s legitimacy.
“I trust the school,” he said. “I have confidence in the program and in the district.”
Ross and other graduates look forward to a booming job market.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s bureau of labor statistics, the employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 26 percent from 2010 to 2020.
The bureau reported that nurses’ median pay in 2010 was $64,690 a year and $31.10 an hour.
Whitney said the Moorpark program is one of the finest in the nation.
“Students can learn at a low tuition, graduate and have a very in-demand and high-wage job,” he said. “We wish that were the case with every degree.”
No comments:
Post a Comment