Diablo Valley College
Encyclopedia
Diablo Valley College is a two-year community college
in Pleasant Hill
in Contra Costa County
, California
.
DVC is one of three publicly supported two-year community colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District
(along with Contra Costa College
and Los Medanos College
), and was first opened in 1949. Current enrollment is 26,000 students and it has 300 full-time and 370 part-time instructors.
DVC has satellite centers in San Ramon
and Walnut Creek
and also offers classes in other facilities in Concord
, Martinez
, Danville
, and San Ramon.
; California State University, East Bay
; and to St. Mary’s College
. DVC ranks among the top five transfer colleges in California. In 2004, the top four transfer destinations were California State University, East Bay
(formerly Hayward), San Francisco State University
, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.
DVC also offers a variety of occupational specialties, including hotel/restaurant management, culinary arts, dental technology, and real estate. DVC has a very active speech and debate team.
, a former MLB National League MVP who played for the DVC baseball team in the 1970s and Doug Davis
, who pitches for the Milwaukee Brewers. Demarshay Johnson, a former DVC Basketball star currently playing for Nevada, was named 1st team All-State for California for the 2004-2005 season. In that season, he led the entire state in blocks, averaging 5.2 per game.
Currently, DVC is upgrading some of its facilities. A new bookstore, advanced technology building, and solar panel parking lots are some of the recent projects. Future plans include upgrades to the engineering technology building and County Connection bus stop areas.
plea. A spokesperson for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
said that although the scandal was a negative factor it would likely not lead to the school's loss of accreditation
.
. The paper has been produced with as many as 10 pages, but recently has been forced to print only four to six pages as funding has declined.
The newspaper was forced to produce their paper off-site at the Times' newsroom when a bomb-threat in 2006 closed the campus and access to the newsroom was restricted.
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
in Pleasant Hill
Pleasant Hill, California
Pleasant Hill is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 33,152 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1961...
in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
DVC is one of three publicly supported two-year community colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District
Contra Costa Community College District
The Contra Costa Community College District is a community college district that encompasses three community colleges in Contra Costa County, California - Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College. Headquarters office is located in the George R...
(along with Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College
Contra Costa College, in San Pablo, California, is the west campus of the Contra Costa Community College District. It is part of the California community colleges system, one of the three college systems in California.- History :...
and Los Medanos College
Los Medanos College
Los Medanos College is a two-year community college in Pittsburg in Contra Costa County, California. LMC has an extension in Brentwood....
), and was first opened in 1949. Current enrollment is 26,000 students and it has 300 full-time and 370 part-time instructors.
DVC has satellite centers in San Ramon
San Ramon, California
-2010 census:The 2010 United States Census reported that San Ramon had a population of 72,148. The population density was 3,991.1 people per square mile...
and Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
and also offers classes in other facilities in Concord
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
, Martinez
Martinez, California
Martinez is a city and the county seat of Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,824 at the 2010 census. The downtown is notable for its large number of preserved old buildings...
, Danville
Danville, California
The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that uses "town" in its name instead of "city". The population was 42,039 in 2010. Danville is one of the wealthiest suburbs of Oakland and San...
, and San Ramon.
Academics
Diablo Valley College is a popular choice for Asian international students to complete lower-division college requirements for frequently crowded California universities. In particular, DVC is a “feeder” college to the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
; California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
; and to St. Mary’s College
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
. DVC ranks among the top five transfer colleges in California. In 2004, the top four transfer destinations were California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
(formerly Hayward), San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.
DVC also offers a variety of occupational specialties, including hotel/restaurant management, culinary arts, dental technology, and real estate. DVC has a very active speech and debate team.
Athletics
DVC has had famous athletes throughout its sports history, probably most recognized being Willie McGeeWillie McGee
Willie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career...
, a former MLB National League MVP who played for the DVC baseball team in the 1970s and Doug Davis
Doug Davis
Douglas N. "Doug" Davis is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball...
, who pitches for the Milwaukee Brewers. Demarshay Johnson, a former DVC Basketball star currently playing for Nevada, was named 1st team All-State for California for the 2004-2005 season. In that season, he led the entire state in blocks, averaging 5.2 per game.
History
The college officially began in 1949, and was then called East Contra Costa Junior College. The college moved to its permanent campus in 1952, and changed its name to Diablo Valley College in 1958.Currently, DVC is upgrading some of its facilities. A new bookstore, advanced technology building, and solar panel parking lots are some of the recent projects. Future plans include upgrades to the engineering technology building and County Connection bus stop areas.
Grade-fixing scandal
In 2007 a six-year grade fixing scheme came to light with allegations that some of the alleged 84 students used sex or cash as payment to student employees in the admissions and records office in exchange for over 400 grade changes.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/04/BAGMPPL1IT1.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea Many of these students have transferred to universities and in some cases may have already graduated. As of November, 2007 49 students had been charged with misdemeanors or felonies over the incident, and at least one had accepted a no contestNolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
plea. A spokesperson for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
said that although the scandal was a negative factor it would likely not lead to the school's loss of accreditation
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
.
School newspaper
The Inquirer, the college's student-run newspaper, is produced on campus by the Journalism 126 class. It is printed on community presses of the Contra Costa TimesContra Costa Times
The Contra Costa Times is a daily newspaper based in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.. The paper serves Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties, in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area...
. The paper has been produced with as many as 10 pages, but recently has been forced to print only four to six pages as funding has declined.
The newspaper was forced to produce their paper off-site at the Times' newsroom when a bomb-threat in 2006 closed the campus and access to the newsroom was restricted.
Notable alumni
In addition to the athletes named above, notable alumni of Diablo Valley include:- Julie StrainJulie StrainJulie Strain is an American actress and model who was Penthouse Pet of the Month in June 1991 and later chosen as the magazine's Pet of the Year in 1993.-Early life:...
, model and actress - Kyle GassKyle GassKyle Richard Gass , also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D , Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy...
, member of Tenacious DTenacious DTenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny... - George Miller (politician)George Miller (politician)George Miller III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2007 through 2010, Miller served as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, formerly known as the Education and the Workforce Committee.-Early life, education, and early...
, U.S. Congressman, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor. - Willie McGeeWillie McGeeWillie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career...
, former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Katharine RossKatharine RossKatharine Juliet Ross is an American film and stage actress. Trained at the San Francisco Workshop, she is perhaps best known for her role as Elaine Robinson in the 1967 film The Graduate, opposite Dustin Hoffman, which won her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and her role...
, actress - Natalie CoughlinNatalie CoughlinNatalie Anne Coughlin is an American swimmer and eleven-time Olympic medallist.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Coughlin became the first American female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympics and the first woman ever to win a 100 m backstroke gold in two consecutive...
, women's swimmer who has set multiple records