Sierra College

Not to be confused with La Sierra College.

Sierra College

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Former names	Placer College
Motto	Dream. Learn. Do.
Type	Public Community College
Established	1936
President	Willy Duncan IV
Students	18,935
Location	Rocklin , California , United States of America
Campus	Suburban
Colors	Cardinal and White
Mascot	Wolverines
Website	http://www.sierracollege.edu/

Sierra College, a California community college, has its main campus located in Rocklin, California. Rocklin is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, approximately twenty minutes from the state capital of Sacramento and 105 miles (169 km) east of San Francisco. The campus lies within the watershed of Secret Ravine, a site of mining operations during the California Gold Rush. In addition to the 300-acre (1.2 km²) Rocklin campus, the District has a 115-acre (0.47 km²) campus in Grass Valley which is in neighboring Nevada County, a campus center in Truckee, and a campus center in Roseville. The Sierra Community College District, a district that covers over 3,200 square miles (8,300 km²), serves Placer, Nevada and parts of El Dorado and Sacramento counties.

Origins

Sierra College's origin is unclear. Some say the establishment of the Sierra Normal College and Business Institute in 1882, a small, private college at the location of today's Placer High School in Auburn, California, was later formed into Sierra College. It is commonly thought, however, that Sierra College is the outgrowth of the Placer Union High School District.

The College was officially founded in 1936 and is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This is the date that the school uses as the official establishment, even though it had been operating under various names and places before this. It was established as "Placer Junior College". In 1954 the college was renamed "Sierra College" with a wolverine as the mascot. The main campus in Rocklin was chosen by 1960, out of 35 possible sites. The planned construction of Interstate 80 was a consideration in the decision making. In 1961 the new campus opened.

In 1996 another campus in Nevada County opened, in between Grass Valley and Nevada City. During 2000–2005, outreach campuses in Roseville and near Truckee were opened.

It is governed by a Board of seven trustees who are elected District wide and a student trustee. The constituent groups within the District – trustees, faculty, students, management and classified staff – are committed to the principle of shared governance for assuring broad and deep participation in all decisions critical to the College and District. Only five individuals have held the post of President in the last 50 years.

Classes offered

Approximately 125 degree and certificate programs are offered in a wide variety of configurations taught by 216 full and 650 part-time faculty members. Faculty typically has the minimum of a master's degree in their fields and enhance their teaching with research, authorship and industry expertise. Classes are offered both in traditional "on-ground" classrooms and, increasingly, in an online format.

Athletics

The Sierra College mascot is the Wolverine. Sierra College participates in the Big 8 Conference, a member of the Community College League of California's Commission on Athletics.

Notable people

• Hans Ostrom, writer and professor
• Heather Rene Smith, Playboy Playmate of the Month (February 2007)
• James LeVoy Sorenson, inventor and entrepreneur
• John Romero, game designer
• Fenuki Tupou, offensive guard for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Ryan Guzman, actor and model

External links

• Sierra College Website
• Sierra College Library – 2 branches