❒ After for-profit Corinthian college folded last month, local school offers itself as alternative

The collapse Sunday of Corinthian Colleges, the Santa Ana-based company that operated multiple career-oriented, for-profit schools such as Heald and Everest colleges, caught many students by surprise Sunday.

Some said they found out about the school closures only a day or two beforehand, though the company told investors in 2014 it would go out of the business.

Among the students whose college careers have been disrupted by the closure are those attending the Concord campus of Heald College.

Places for them are being sought at other colleges, and officials at Solano Community College announced last week that they have offered to find room in their summer and fall classes, for which enrollment has started.

Despite federal and state investigations and warnings of financial concerns, Corinthian College recruiters continued to urge students to enroll during the past year. They said they hoped a strong enrollment would encourage a buyer for the company. Its advertisements continued to speak of Heald’s long history, and to promise future career guidance.

But more than 16,000 students were shut out of classes Monday when the company closed the doors on its 28 remaining campuses in California, Hawai’i, Arizona, Oregon and New York.

Earlier this year, Corinthian sold another 56 campuses to Education Credit Managment Corporation as part of an agreement with the Department of Education.

Chief Executive Officer Jack Massimino said Corinthian also tried to sell Heald College and to arrange for students in other operations, Everest College and WyoTech, to continue their education elsewhere.

However, he said those sales fell through, foiled by federal and state investigations and buyers’ fears of anticipated penalties and restrictive conditions.

Two days after the campuses closed, Dr. Yashica Crawford, Solano Community College chief of staff, said the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and California Community College Chancellor Dr. Brice Harris asked SCC and other community colleges to find room for the displaced Corinthian students.

“We are pleased to inform the community as well as Heald students that Solano Community College wants to work hard to assist students who were affected by the closing of Heald College with completing their studies,” Crawford said.

Each of the Heald College campuses, which had been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission, asked students to attend a transfer day Wednesday at which they received their academic transcripts as well as financial aid documentation.

Heald asked other colleges that might be able to accept their students to attend as well.

“SCC staff were present at the Heald College Transfer Day to provide students with information on programs, financial aid and other services,” Crawford said.

Robin Darcangelo, associate dean of Financial Affairs, said, “We will make every effort to support and provide assistance to students affected by these campus closures.”

“Education is a great opportunity for all who seek to attain it,” said Shemila Johnson, SCC’s director of Enrollment Services.

“Therefore, it is our privilege at Solano Community College to welcome all the students who desire to finish what they’ve started at Heald to Solano. We want every displaced student to recognize that when one door closes, another one opens.”

She sought to reassure Heald students who might apply to SCC.

“There is hope in knowing that SCC is here and ready to help them stay on path to complete their program of study,” Johnson said. “Summer and fall registration has begun, and we look forward to serving our students.”

SCC, founded in 1945 as Vallejo Junior College, has been based in Fairfield since the 1970s, and has more than 8,000 students attending throughout the academic year.

Besides Fairfield, it operates campuses in Vacaville and Vallejo and offers courses at Travis Air Force Base. It also operates a School of Aeronautics at the Nut Tree Airport.

The college offers associate degrees and certificates in multiple disciplines, including transfer courses to California State Universities (CSU) and Universities of California (UC), and provides training in several trades, Johnson said.

Those interested may visit the SCC website, www.solano.edu, and may contact Johnson by email at Shemila.Johnson@solano.edu or by phone at 707-864-7000.