CLASS IS IN SESSION

Opening February, 2023, Santa Monica College’s Malibu Campus is functional and energy efficient, offering residents a host of classes and public gathering spaces.

✎ written by Barbara Burke

Malibu’s Santa Monica Community College campus in Malibu’s civic center adjacent to the old courthouse and library, opens in Spring, 2023. Registration for all classes other than Emeritus is ongoing and people can register now. Registration for Emeritus classes begins in early January.

Credit classes include environmental biology, marine biology, film appreciation: Intro to Cinema, to name a few. Noncredit classes include Introduction to Early Care and Education, a certifi- cated program. Some of the community education classes include Barre Fusion, Architectural Styles of Los Angeles and Women Architects and Designers who Defined 20th Century Design. Enrollment for emeritus classes for senior citizen students will begin in early January, and some options include Creative Writing, Autobiography, Poetry and Fiction, and Life Drawing Studio.

Malibu Magazine sat down with Scott Silverman, Interim Dean of Noncredit

& External Programs, to learn all the details about the three-acre campus, which features a 25,000 square foot, two-story building with two general education classrooms, dedicated science and art labs, a multipurpose physical activity space, a 100-seat lecture hall with raked seating with capabilities for music and film, and a computer lab.

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department substation will occupy the ground level of the community college. Malibu Mayor Paul Grisanti stated that before the substation can become operational, the City of Malibu will have to approve funding to pay for the staff at the Sheriff’s Substation. The City contracts with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services.

The City’s fiscal year ends June 30, 2023, and according to Grisanti, the City would have to approve a budget of approximately $2 million to fund the Sheriff’s substation through June 30th.

“The first day of classes will be February 13,” Silverman said. “We are planning a fun opening event and will send a postcard with information about that event to all who reside in Malibu.”

SMC staff on-site will include an associate dean and three classified, non-teaching staff, Silverman said. Additional staff reporting to other departments, but based on the Malibu campus and focused on Malibu operations, include three campus safety officers, custodians, and five grounds and maintenance personnel. While there are no plans at the moment for any full-time instructors to have all of their teaching assignments in Malibu, Silverman noted that there are more than twenty instructors scheduled to teach at least one course at the Malibu Campus this coming Spring semester, with some teaching multiple courses. Office hours for related classes will also be held there.

As early as the 1970s, Santa Monica College offered a host of classes in Malibu, Silverman said, noting that over time, space became a constraint on the num- ber of classes available, and the offerings ended completely after the Pandemic.

QDG Architecture, a firm that also built the SOFI stadium, was the associate architect for the three-story building. The project is LEED Gold Certified and utilizes low energy and water use, along with green building materials.

Concerns Regarding the Large, Bright Tower on Community College Grounds

Many Malibuites have been asking about the large tower sitting adjacent to the building. Grisanti stated that he has been told by several people that the tower is taller than what is depicted on the original plans. “Some of the rack area is designed to accommodate the Sheriff’s communication needs.” Grisanti said. “Basically, what they have built with the three levels of racks on the tower is an antenna farm and if three or more companies intend to load things on the tower, each company will need a permit.”

Addressing the concerns regarding the tower, Silverman said, “During the contract negotiations, the tower was agreed to by the City of Malibu Planning Commission and LA County in order to support emergency communications,” Explaining further, Silverman said, “The College is continuing to follow the specifications of the regulating agencies.”

The applicable federal regulations mandate that there be such a tower to support the pre-existing heli-pad, he added.

“People have complained about the tower’s location, height and color. We’ve made the folks at the community college and the County aware about their concerns as well as the City’s concerns,” City Manager Steve McClary said. “They will have to try to get a conditional use permit from the City to operate that tower. We will ensure that there is an open forum for the public to weigh in regarding any decisions.”

The Community College’s Effects The Farmer’s Market and Labor Exchange

“The Farmers Market is being relocated next to Legacy Park,” McClary said. “Regarding the Malibu Labor Exchange, the objective is to make sure that service to the community is not squeezed out and representatives from the college, the City and the County are working to keep the Labor Exchange on the grounds as the original plans include having a location for them. Going forward, on a temporary basis the Labor Exchange may operate out of a cargo van until final solutions are found. What’s important is that all stakeholders are rowing in the same direction.”

When asked whether the space will be open for public events, Silverman stated “Yes, it is our hope that community groups will want to hold meetings and events at SMC’s Malibu Campus and the courtyard and interpretive center are ideal locations for such gatherings. This is one of the possibilities we are most excited about! For now, inquiries regarding public programming and events space should go to malibu@smc.edu.”

Further, college-run events at Malibu will definitely happen, Silverman said, adding, “Some of this will be in the interpretive center and we have already begun to discuss a schedule for the amazing, groundbreaking Matika Wilbur exhibition featuring the works of this acclaimed artist/photographer from the Tulalip and Swinomish tribes.”

As Malibu welcomes its new community college classes, local employers may wish to explore offering internship opportunities to students. Such opportunities could be coordinated by the SMC Career Services Center. MM

SPRING 2023

Class Schedule

See the full class schedule and find information on how to enroll in various classes at www.smc.edu/ about/campuses/malibu/2023-spring-classes.php.

For Credit: Credit classes can be used to earn an Associate degree or transfer to a four-year college or university.

• Environmental Biology

• Marine Biology (Non-Laboratory)

• Elements of Public Speaking

• Beginning Salsa Dance

• Intermediate Salsa Dance

• Reading and Composition

• Critical Analysis and Intermediate Composition

• Film Appreciation: Intro to Cinema

• Elementary Statistics

• Introduction to Nutrition Science

• General Psychology

Noncredit: Noncredit classes are part of a flexible tuition-free program that offers short-term certificates that can assist you in entering the workforce or continuing your education.

• Introduction to Early Care and Education

• Culturally Revelant Curriculum

• Early Care Licensing and Workforce Readiness

Emeritus: The emeritus program is a noncredit, free, lifelong learning program offering classes designed for older adults.

• Life Drawing Studio

• Painting

• Drawing and Painting

• Poetry and Fiction

• Creative Writing

• Autobiography

Community Education: Community Education is a not-for-credit, fee-based program focused on promoting personal enrichment and professional development.

• Barre Fusion

• Salsa and Stretch

• Vocal Yoga -- Free Your Throat Chakra

•

• Architectural Styles of Los Angeles and the Southern California Area

• Women Architects and Designers Who Defined 20th Century Design

It was one of those moments when someone you know shares a detail about their life that totally surprises and intrigues you.

“Please read my new book, My Name was Mushroom — My Life as a Teenage Runaway in the Source Family Commune,” Malibu’s Wendy Baker said.

What a journey! When Wendy was just 12 years old and then named Wendy Gossard, she met Bart Baker, who has been her husband for decades. Wendy was mesmerized by the crystal blue eyes and magnetism of Bart’s father, the very charismatic Jim Baker, known as Yahowah, who was the six-foot-five towering patriarch of the Source Family, a spiritual group composed of young people who considered Yahowah their father.

Wendy Baker’s book takes readers on her journey during the 1960s and 1970s, describing love-ins in Hollywood and on Sunset Avenue, and gatherings at The Source Restaurant, Yahowah’s business, and one of the country’s first health food restaurants on the Sunset Strip. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were regular customers as were Warren Beatty and Mar-