Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law Enter into Affiliation with TCS Education System

Alliance Will Enhance Existing Law Program, Provide Expanded Opportunities

for Students and Strengthen Colleges' Long-Term Standing

VENTURA, Calif. and CHICAGO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law, the Central Coast's preeminent law school, announced today that it will enter an affiliation agreement with not-for-profit TCS Education System (TCS ES), an innovative network of institutions serving 4,000 students in Southern California, D.C., and Illinois. The agreement, effective October 1, will enable the law school to enhance its Juris Doctor program and offer wider options for law study.

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As a member of the TCS Education System, the Colleges of Law intend to seek regional accreditation and access to Federal student financial aid programs. The law school has been fully accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California since the 1970s, which in July approved the affiliation with TCS ES.

"We are pleased to welcome such an outstanding specialized graduate institution to our academic community," said TCS ES President and CEO Michael Horowitz. "We see wonderful possibilities ahead for supporting the school's mission and connecting its students, faculty, and alumni with others who embrace a commitment to being agents of change and innovators in their field."

"This affiliation will strengthen the law school and its long-term growth potential by adding new resources, generating economies of scale and creating new opportunities for law-related education," said Colleges of Law Dean Heather Georgakis. "TCS Education System shares our deep commitment to the preparation of engaged, community-minded professionals, and has the resources, expertise and experience to help us achieve our vision as a leading regional law school."

Georgakis describes the affiliation as a "strength-to-strength relationship in which everyone benefits." The new arrangement, she says, was prompted by the Colleges' desire to provide students with greater flexibility in scheduling, access to advanced educational technology and opportunities to study law in context with other disciplines.

"The opportunity to collaborate with the forward-thinking educators of TCS ES was a key consideration for our trustees," she said.  "We are excited about the prospects this partnership offers to our students."

Under the agreement, TCS ES will provide administrative support services, which will enable the Colleges to update and streamline operations in areas such as student services, academic support, marketing, accounting and human resources. Students will benefit from improvements in campus technology that will allow them to mix onsite and online courses, learn in "smart" classrooms, and use robust course support software. TCS ES will also contribute its expertise in regulatory affairs as the Colleges seek regional accreditation.  

The Colleges of Law will retain its name, nonprofit status and fundamental mission of providing an affordable high-quality legal education to individuals of all backgrounds. "We will not change the law school's essential curricular focus or its emphasis on excellent teaching by practicing lawyers and judges," Georgakis said.  However, she does anticipate adding online courses to complement the school's onsite J.D. program. "We will also consider new law programs, including multi-disciplinary and joint degrees, to the extent permitted by our accrediting agency," said the Dean.

The Colleges of Law is the fourth specialized organization of higher education within TCS ES, joining The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Pacific Oaks College, and Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.

About Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law

Since 1969 the Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law have offered a State Bar-accredited part-time evening program leading to the Juris Doctor degree and academic eligibility to sit for the California State Bar Examination. With a faculty comprised of judges and practicing attorneys who bring real-world experience into the curriculum, classes are taught in a supportive and practical learning environment. The Colleges' more than 1,700 graduates include judges, court commissioners and numerous elected officials as well as hundreds of lawyers practicing throughout California. Further information on the law school may be found at www.CollegesOfLaw.org.

About TCS Education System:

TCS Education System (TCS ES) was founded in 2009 as a not-for-profit organization with a mission of preparing innovative, engaged, purposeful agents of change who serve our global community.

TCS ES features a network of specialized institutions, which are backed by a model of education that  prepares socially responsible, culturally competent professionals in applied fields such as psychology, health and human services, and education. TCS ES' collection of colleges and graduate schools—The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and Pacific Oaks College—each offer scholarship, training, and service opportunities directed to a specific career path while providing a transformative educational experience that ensures that the students' personal, academic, and professional needs are met.

Other System affiliates include Garfield Park Preparatory Academy, a K-8 elementary school on Chicago's West Side devoted to delivering a progressive, evidence-based curriculum; Pacific Oaks Children's School in Pasadena, Calif., which provides experiential early childhood learning and daycare; TCS Online, an online education delivery and services affiliate; and TCS Foundation, which cultivates grants and charitable contributions to support community based student-learning opportunities throughout the System. For more information, visit www.tcsedsystem.org.

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Michael Horowitz, Ph.D.

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SOURCE TCS Education System