In 1971, Father John "Jack" Leary, the former president of Gonzaga University, established the New College of California (NCC), initially in the living room of his house in Sausalito. He had a vision of a liberal arts college that combined social activism, ecological awareness, spirituality and education for social change.
The school acquired a following and soon it was able to establish a main campus in San Francisco. Today it operates from the main campus and also from satellite locations in Alameda County, Somoma County and Los Angeles.
In 1976, the school was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Professional accreditations are lagging, however: NCC's College of Law lacks approval by the American Bar Association (ABA), and the school's business program is not accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Also, dark clouds have always hovered over NCC:
~ Father John "Jack" Leary left unexpectedly in 1977 amid rumors that he left his post at Gonzaga under less than desirable conditions.
~ On Sept. 6, 2006 the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus acknowledged that Father Leary had sexually abused boys and young men during his tenure at Gonzaga.
~ According to Wikipedia, the school has a long standing policy that it is permissible for faculty and administrators to date students--even to sleep with them.
~ According to Academe Today, NCC has been placed on probation by WASC; as a result, the school's president, Martin J. Hamilton, has resigned.
All of the above matters trouble me, but I am bothered even more by the goal of the school's MBA program: "fusing social justice, ecological considerations, community involvement abd alternative forms of management ownership."
Social justice? Alternative forms of management ownership? My experience as an officer in a successful corporation, coupled with my training as an instructor of business administration tell me that such goals, though lofty, are incompatible with the demands of the highly competitive business world. Potential students should pass on NCC.
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