Orange Coast College

I Leave You With Some Assets and Some Liabilities
Back to Main

Remarks by Dr. Basil H. Peterson
on the occasion of his retirement
testimonial dinner November 15, 1963.

THE RESOUNDING OVATION had died away, pleasantries had been exchanged during the meal, friends and associates had paid tribute to one whom they admired. A tall gaunt man, seated between his two sons, arose from the head table and with characteristic modesty assured the assembled group, "the efforts of many people have gone into making this college an institution for which the community may be proud."

It was the evening of November 15, 1963; the occasion—the community testimonial dinner upon the retirement of Basil Hyrum Peterson, Ph.D., founding president and district superintendent of Orange Coast College. Some 350 friends and admirers listened as he said, "I leave you with some assets and some liabilities." His remarks which followed are in part set down herewith.

Orange Coast College has a great future. Even though the University of California will build a major campus in this area and even though Orange State College at Fullerton will grow to become a major senior college, there will always be the need for a junior college to serve the coastal area of Orange County. Our role is unique and distinct. We have the responsibility to provide an opportunity for every young man and woman residing in the area we serve to secure some education beyond high school. We are truly a people's college. Our admission policy opens the door of higher education to many, not to a restricted few. We arecommitted to provide a program of education that is suited to the needs and abilities of all. As a junior college it is our responsibility to conserve the human resources of the people we serve. In fulfilling our role we make it possible for the State University and the state colleges to be highly selective in student admission, and hence to perform their particular specialized functions.

We are now planning a second campus—Golden West College— to be located in Huntington Beach and on the boundary line of the city of Westminster. This campus in Costa Mesa and the one in Huntington Beach will each reach in excess of-a 5,000 day school enrollment prior to 1980. At that time it will be necessary for our Board of Trustees guided by the people of this district to determine whether or not to build a third campus or to enlarge the two existing ones. The two campuses are master planned so that they are capable of expansion beyond the 5,000 limit. This seems to be the best and most economical answer.

Another challenge of the future is that all Orange County must some day become a part of a junior college district. The State Legislature has taken action requiring each county to present a plan for including every high school district in a junior college district by January 1, 1967. At the present time approximately two thirds of Orange County is not in any junior college district. The northern part of our county is doing something to solve this problem. In the central and southern regions we still have to face this issue. Our Board of Trustees must eventually decide whether or not to expand our existing boundaries to include adjacent high school districts.

Another problem facing us in the future is that of adequately financing our program of junior college education. Through the years our district has become gradually "poorer." This means that the taxable wealth behind each student has gradually decreased. This is due to the fact that our student population has increased much more rapidly than has the assessed valuation on property. We have reached the point where the maximum tax levy permitted under the law is barely sufficient to provide our district with a good program of education. This is not because we have failed to exercise economy of operation. As a matter of fact, our cost per student is one of the lowest in the state. Unless additional state aid is made available to junior colleges including Orange Coast, and if inflation continues, our district may face the necessity of voting to increase the general purpose tax of 35¢ for current operations.

So you see that although we have many assets, including an outstanding educational program, a faculty second to none, and a fine modern campus that has been built without incurring debt, we still face some knotty problems in the future. These problems will require the best efforts of our Board, our college staff and the people of the community to solve.

Back to Main