A.S. in Chemistry Program Collaboration

Ventura College launched its first Associate in Science in Chemistry, approved by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO #44993) in April 2025 and included in the 2025–2026 catalog. The degree was written to meet both CSU and UC transfer expectations. I served as a co-contributor during its development in CourseLeaf and drafted several of the proposal's narrative sections.

The collaboration

January 2025 — initiation. Department Chair Malia Rose-Seisa began the design and requested my assistance and co-contributor access to CourseLeaf. I verified access permissions, reviewed Oxnard College's existing A.S. model, and began structuring Ventura's proposal framework.

January–February — planning. We defined curricular goals aligned to both the CSU ADT and UC transfer requirements. MATH V21C, Multivariable Calculus, was included to secure UC alignment while keeping the CSU pathway accessible, and I contributed to unit mapping and sequencing.

January–February — drafting. I wrote five of the proposal's narrative sections in CourseLeaf and sent them to the chair on January 21: Evidence of Need, Catalog Description, Master Planning, Enrollment and Completer Projections, and Place of Program in Curriculum. Adapting Oxnard's model meant rewriting it toward Ventura College's equity-driven mission and regional STEM workforce context.

February–March — review. Working with Curriculum Specialist Jayni Martinez, I revised the narrative for clarity and consistency and made sure the justification met state standards and local strategic goals alongside the enrollment projections.

March–April — approval. The proposal cleared the Curriculum Committee on March 4, DCCI on March 13, and the Board of Trustees on April 8, and the State Chancellor's Office approved it on April 9, effective Fall 2025. The program record lists Malia Rose-Seisa as originator and me as co-contributor.

From the authored narrative

Ventura College's commitment to equity and access ensures that students from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to achieve academic and professional success. The Chemistry A.S. program supports this mission by providing an accessible, affordable pathway to advanced studies and careers in the sciences.

That passage is in the email I sent the chair on January 21, 2025, and it is in the approved state record word for word.

Outcome

The Chemistry A.S. became an officially recognized program in the 2025–2026 catalog. It is the Chemistry Department's first degree and gives students a UC/CSU-aligned transfer pathway.

It has since produced graduates. The department had its first chemistry major in July 2025, three months after the degree was approved, and in May 2026, thirteen months after state approval, two students graduated with it. The department signed plushies for them and the chair presented the gifts the Thursday of commencement week.

I learned curriculum design, transfer policy, and narrative compliance on this project, and I have used them since in the ZTC and OER sequencing work.