FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
06/05/23
Spokane Community College Criminal Justice Program to End Due To Declining Enrollment and New Police Training Academies
[SPOKANE, Wash.] After a thorough review of professional criminal justice training standards and career pathways, Community Colleges of Spokane has decided to recommend to its Board of Trustees that Spokane Community College discontinue offering a Criminal Justice degree program. This recommendation will be brought to the June 20 board meeting.
Chancellor Kevin Brockbank announced this decision on Monday (June 5) affirming the recommendation of Acting SCC President Jenni Martin that he received last month.
“Making the decision to phase out any program is an extremely difficult decision to make,” Dr. Brockbank said. “In the past, our criminal justice program had been an important workforce training pathway for future law enforcement officers. But with changes in law enforcement training and continued low program enrollment, I believe it is prudent to no longer enroll new students in this program.”
All 39 students currently enrolled in the program will be provided with an opportunity to complete their 2-year degree in criminal justice at SCC, however, no new students will be enrolled. This process is called a teach-out of a program, which is a standard academic process that occurs when a program is discontinued. Eight are expected to graduate in criminal justice in June.
Current criminal justice students also will have the option to pursue a different program degree at SCC if they choose to do so.
Both colleges at CCS regularly review workforce training programs to ensure they are meeting industry standards; are maintaining sufficient enrollment; and are providing students with clear pathways toward employment. In reviewing the criminal justice program, which is a workforce training program, SCC leadership determined that it has had declining enrollment with many classes cancelled due to low enrollment. It also had a low rate of program completion among its students.
Changing industry practices also contributed to this decision. In the past, the SCC criminal justice degree was a strong benefit to those seeking careers in law enforcement. But current law enforcement agencies now provide training academies to newly hired recruits. Many agencies prefer to provide this training at their academies to ensure consistent training practices. Plus, the extreme shortage of law enforcement officers means that the criminal justice workforce degree no longer is of high value in the hiring process.
“We do not believe it is responsible to continue to offer a program that duplicates the training our students would receive at no cost from police training academies,” Dr. Brockbank said.
SCC faculty have taken part in elements of this program review, and they, as well as the Association of Higher Education faculty union leadership, have been made aware of the review, the concerns about program viability and this week about the decision to cease to offer this program. All union contractual agreements with our faculty will be honored in accordance with our AHE contract.
Dr. Brockbank also has met with the SCC Criminal Justice Advisory Committee members to inform them.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Chancellor Kevin Brockbank, please contact Jeff Bunch, CCS Communications Director, Jeff.Bunch@ccs.spokane.edu; 509-590-8620.