Contacts:Patrice Milkovich, Director, Restorative Justice Program,pmilkovich@swccd.edu
Program Description:Southwestern College (located in South San Diego County) provides face-to-face college instruction inside California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) and East Mesa Reentry Facility (EMRF) a County jail managed by the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, to currently incarcerated adult males. RJD offers Associates Degree for Transfer in Business Administration via the Second Chance Pell Pilot program and is positioned to launch an ADT Communications degree in Fall 2019. College faculty and counselors work directly with inmates who have a high school diploma or GED and meet the correctional institution’s eligibility standards (e.g., minimal behavioral incidents). All college courses are face-to-face and are within the California State University’s general breadth requirements, therefore transferable to any CSU.
Degrees Offered:Associates Degree for Transfer – Business Administration (via Second Chance Pell Pilot Program); Fall 2019 will implement an ADT – Communications
Unique Features:Southwestern College is part of a nine-member association of California community colleges representing San Diego and Imperial Counties. The association’s member colleges, via a resolution, committed to provide a regional transitional services program for formerly incarcerated students with effective on-ramps to assist them in obtaining the resources and support services needed to achieve their academic and career goals. Working cooperatively and collaboratively, the member colleges support students releasing from custody or transferring between district boundaries.
Headquarters:Chula Vista (Otay Mesa), California
Correctional Facilities Served:California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation/Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility San Diego County Jail – San Diego Sheriff’s Department/East Mesa Reentry Facility
Population Served:CDCR – Adult Males levels 1 through 3; San Diego Sheriff’s Department – sentenced Adult Males who are programming for release within 3-12 months
Number of Students:Collectively. Southwestern College serves approximately 275 students per semester, many are duplicate students (enrolled in more than one course per semester).
Graduates to Date:Southwestern College’s program is relatively new, commencing in Fall 2016, thus no students have graduated to date.
Year Founded:2016
Founders:Collaborative effort of a team of Southwestern College personnel in Academic Affairs (Instruction) and Student Affairs (Enrollment, Financial Aid and Counseling)
College/University/Organization Partnerships:Southwestern Community College District
Funding:Second Chance Pell Pilot Program purchases textbooks and instructional supplies for Cohort students (25); Student Equity funds are used to purchase classroom sets of textbooks and supplies for prison general education courses; San Diego Sheriff’s Department funds purchase of textbooks and supplies for jail program; all students in prison and jail program are eligible for California Promise Grant (state aid) that covers tuition; College fees are waived for incarcerated students.”‹
Updated 5/24/18