[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23645]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       TRIBUTE TO VALLEY COLLEGE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, my colleague, Representative Henry A. 
Waxman, and I, rise to pay tribute to Los Angeles Valley College, which 
this year is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Over the past five 
decades, Valley College has exemplified the best in American public 
education. Despite charging nominal fees to its students, the college 
has a top-notch faculty, the largest library in the San Fernando Valley 
and today offers more than 50 academic majors. Forty percent of the 
students who attend Valley College view it as a pathway to facilitate 
transfers into four-year colleges and universities.
  When Valley College opened its doors in 1949, the San Fernando Valley 
was a suburban/rural community. The changes in the college since that 
time have paralleled the changes in the Valley, which is much more 
diverse than it was at the end of the Second World War. The College had 
done an outstanding job of adapting its curriculum and facilities to 
new and different circumstances.
  Valley College has also kept up with the rapid pace of technological 
change at the end of the 20th century. The library recently completed 
its automation project and is now on-line with access to four separate 
databases. The College currently maintains a Bio-Tutorial Lab, Computer 
Science Lab, Music Listening Lab, Speech Lab, Foreign Language Lab, 
Statistics Lab and several open labs with Internet access for all 
students.
  Valley College has developed a program that provides a number of one- 
and two-year technical programs such as accounting, business 
administration and computer sciences. Through the years, thousands of 
students have used these programs to enter rewarding careers.
  Valley College has also made a concerted effort to meet the 
educational needs of high school students in the San Fernando Valley. 
The Afternoon College enables these young people to improve their basic 
skills before they graduate, which helps ensure that they will succeed 
in college. The Early-Start Program allows college-bound high school 
students to earn college credit while still attending high school.
  We ask our colleagues to join us in saluting Dr. Tyree Wieder, 
President of Valley College, and the entire faculty and staff on this 
special occasion. Thanks to these dedicated educators, Valley College 
is a superb example of the best that California's Community College 
System has to offer. With the continued hard work of such committed 
individuals, the next 50 years at Valley College will be equally 
successful in serving our community.

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