Community colleges collaborate for spring enrollment drive

To better use limited marketing dollars, the three Ventura County Community colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura- have coordinated an advertising campaign targeted to the spring 2007 semester registration period.

Officials say that although saving money is a consideration, presenting a cohesive, integrated campaign to the public was an equally important spark for this initiative.

Last year, KH Consulting was hired to assess the strengths and challenges facing the college district. Among the recommendations published in February was "The colleges should coordinate their marketing and outreach plans. The Ventura County Com

munity College District should build an image of a strong system where the colleges compliment each other and are distinguished by their areas of influence."

According to district chancellor Jim Meznek, "Each of the colleges serve their local communities with general education programs, as well as the county as a whole with specialized programs-the fire academy at Oxnard, the Toyota Ten automotive program at Ventura and the exotic animal program at Moorpark."

Newspaper and radio campaigns that target career education and the new lower fees (reduced to $20 per unit beginning January 2007) began earlier this month and continue through early January.

During the coming week, every household in Ventura County will receive a copy of Career Focus magazine, a 20-page advertorial type newsprint publication that highlights career programs at each of the colleges.

"We want the students and communities to know that each college has the same goal, to make higher education possible for anyone who wants it regardless of which Ventura County campuses they attend," Meznek said.

Registration information for the three colleges is available at www.vcccd.edu.