MTC students who pass newly offered assessment tests may now bypass prerequisites
The Education Complex saw much bustling activity as Mount Tamalpais College held a town hall-style meeting May 3 to kick off its summer semester. More than 60 San Quentin residents sat in a circle in room B-5, listening to MTC administration announcing new policies, answering inquiries about the program, and welcoming first-time students.
The college, now fully accredited as an independent institution, has operated at San Quentin since 1996 under various names. MTC has private funding that made it the only private college inside a carceral facility in the U.S.
“The college is in a good place. We are excited about having a summer semester, the first summer term since Covid. For us, this is significant and a big deal,” Amy Jamgochian, MTC’s chief academic officer said..
Jamgochian said the college had developed advanced assessment testing that would allow students to waive the required core classes of English 204, a research methods class, and Mathematics 115, an intermediate algebra class. A recent handout of available classes showed that almost every advanced class the school offered listed one or both of these core classes as prerequisites.
Students who would pass the assessment tests may bypass these prerequisites, said Jamgochian. Amy Shae, the writing program director of the school’s English department, said the school would allow retaking of the assessment tests once per semester.
Jamgochian said the advanced assessment testing presented good news for students who had taken a research methods class or an intermediate algebra class at other schools, for MTC would not accept transfer credits for core classes.
In open forum, a student said the word “assessment” worried him whenever he heard it. Jody Lewen, MTC’s president, told the student, “Fear is one of our biggest challenges. One of our jobs is to put you in a class that works for you. We want to create an environment in which students will thrive and where their brain can relax and they can learn.”
Several students lamented about the reduced milestone credits for completed classes. The CDCR used to give students three weeks off their sentences for each completed three-credit class. In 2022, the CDCR lowered that credit to one week.
A student asked in forum whether non-credit classes, such as Mathematics 50-A and English 99 would receive milestone credits. Jamgochian said milestone credits would not apply to those classes. She said she had repeatedly applied for rehabilitative achievement credits for such classes, but the CDCR had turned down every one of her applications.
Another student wanted to know whether the college would provide laptops for students. Senior Academic Program Director Nandita Dinesh said the school did not have an answer at this time. She said the school had held discussions with the CDCR about the issue, but had not yet received a positive reply. “Until the CDCR gives the OK, there is nothing we can do.”
Dinesh then introduced former San Quentin resident Cory McNeil, its head of alumni relations. McNeil, who paroled in 2021, said he would hold workshops on continuing education at San Quentin. He also said he developed connections with post-incarceration continuing education organizations such as Underground Scholars at the University of California–Berkeley. “We will do whatever we can to assist,” said McNeil.
Toward the end of the event, Dinesh introduced MTC’s two clerks Charles Crowe and Victor Olguin. They told the crowd where to go to receive books and supplies for their classes.
Christopher Lilly, a Badger resident and first-time student, said he felt happy with the college and with the meeting. After he received his books and stationery supplies for Mathematics 50-B, he told the San Quentin News he looked forward to his academic journey.
“I have seven years to go on my sentence and I will work on getting my prerequisites out of the way so that I can get my AA before I go home,” Lilly said.
