Feather River College is a step closer to adding a second Bachelor’s degree to its academic programs. President Kevin Trutna announced the college has recently been granted provisional approval for the Ecosystem Restoration and Applied Fire Management degree. This will accompany the college’s existing Bachelor in Equine and Ranch Management who’s first class graduated in 2018.
The new degree will equip students wth the ability to work as land managers with skill sets in forest and stream restoration and applying fire in the landscape. Trutna said “FRC is in a prime location to build upon the strengths of its millionacre classroom and High Sierra Ecosystem” with ” The Dixie Fire and other catastrophic wildfires” teaching the college to prepare the next level of graduates for the workforce in protecting our environment.”
With provisional approval, the program has been deemed to follow policy and pass a program quality score. The degree is pending ACCJC accreditation approval. Once these two steps are completed, the California Community College Board of Governors can grant “full approval” and make the degree available to students.
Trutna says the college will remain a community college despite adding two Bachelor’s programs. Adding that “it was strategically designed to develop leaders who are skilled to address critical Sierra Nevada ecosystems, not in theory, but working directly in the fields and forests”.
The college’s program is unique because it cannot be found elsewhere throughout the state.
