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Shasta College was founded in 1948 as part of the Shasta Union High School District.

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In the Centennial year of California and Shasta County (1950), Shasta College opened its doors on Eureka Way in the Fall with 256 day students. As part of the state’s Centennial celebration, President Harry S. Truman spoke at the college’s Thompson Field. There were 26 original faculty members.

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The Shasta College mascot is the Knight. In 1955 the Shasta College Motor Knights Club built a knight with a suit of armor and lance. His name is “Oakey Doaks” (named for a popular comic strip character of the time). In 2012, a serious storm destroyed the original Oakey Doaks. Shasta College Welding Club students fabricated a replacement for the original Knight, and one additional Knight. The new Oakey Doaks Knights are mounted in front of the gym and at the football stadium entrance.

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Shasta College grew so rapidly that, in 1964, voters approved a bond issue for construction of a 337-acre campus at the current main campus location. The present Shasta College main campus was originally a fur and trading center of the Wintu Indians, later occupied by a soldier and his family after the Mexican-American War.

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1997 - Distance Education Committee was formed.

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1997 - Distance Education Committee was formed.

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The Shasta College Distance Education Committee was formed in 1997 to review issues of concern and to formulate recommendations affecting policy, budget, purchasing, staffing, and planning decisions of online and interactive television delivery of instruction.

Distance education is defined as instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology. This includes online, hybrid, and web enhanced instruction in addition to instruction using the college’s extensive interactive television (ITV) network.

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Between 2004 and 2009, the Intermountain, Trinity, and Tehama Campuses were established, with permanent buildings and high-tech classrooms.

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2006 - International Student Recruitment Began

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2006 - International Student Recruitment Began

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2007 - Health Sciences & University Center

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2007 - Health Sciences & University Center

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In the fall of 2007, a  44,000 square foot Health Sciences and University Center opened in the heart of downtown Redding, which houses the college’s Dental Hygiene and Nursing Programs. It also serves as host to baccalaureate degree programs offered by both public and private universities.

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Oct. 8, 2008 - Creation of our Faculty & Staff Diversity Committee

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Oct. 8, 2008 - Creation of our Faculty & Staff Diversity Committee

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The Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District Faculty and Staff Diversity Plan (Plan) was adopted by the Governing Board on October 8, 2008. The Plan reflects the District’s commitment to equal employment opportunity. It is the District’s belief that taking active and vigorous steps to ensure equal employment opportunity and creating a working and academic environment that is welcoming to all, will foster diversity, promote excellence, and provide a positive student learning experience.

The Faculty and Staff Diversity Advisory Committee shall take an active role in developing and implementing the District's Faculty and Staff Diversity Plan. The committee will:

·        Disseminate information to other members of the District and encourage two-way communication about the Faculty and Staff Diversity Plan.

·        Assist in promoting an understanding and support of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies and procedures.

·        Maintain liaison among community organizations, minority organizations, women's organizations, disability organizations, and other interested organizations on equal employment opportunity matters.

·        Assist the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer by communicating diversity as an institutional goal and promoting good hiring practices.

·        Assess faculty and staff development needs regarding equal employment opportunity; assist in offering courses and training on multicultural issues and upward mobility programs.

·        Make recommendations to sponsor events or support special activities that promote equal employment opportunity, nondiscrimination, retention, and diversity; assist in planning and implementing such activities.

·        Maintain and improve communications across campus about diversity issues and encourage diversification of the curriculum.

·        Support the efforts of the Student Equity Committee in promoting multicultural awareness and sensitivity.

·        Participate in screening and equal employment opportunity training programs.

·        Serve in the search process as Equal Employment Opportunity Representatives for openings for faculty, administrators and classified staff. In that role, ensure that candidates are evaluated for their sensitivity to, and understanding of, the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

·        As an Equal Employment Opportunity Representative, monitor the search process to ensure compliance with the Faculty and Staff Diversity Plan and the Guide to Employee Selection handbook.

·        Review and make recommendations to the administration regarding outreach efforts and recruitment standards.

·        Assist in the tenure review and peer review process for faculty and administrator’s evaluations which address the demographics of the District and sensitivity to diverse needs of students to enhance quality and excellence in teaching.

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August 2011 - First Dual Enrollment Courses @ Shasta College.

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August 2011 - First Dual Enrollment Courses @ Shasta College.

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Embedded Tutoring & Supplemental Instruction Program Begins 

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Embedded Tutoring & Supplemental Instruction Program Begins 

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College starts offering SI and Embedded Tutoring in support classes.

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2015 - Title IX Structure and Procedures Created

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2015 - Title IX Structure and Procedures Created

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S2015 Created Office of Equity / Dean of Equity 

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S2015 Created Office of Equity / Dean of Equity 

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On July 18, 2016 the Board of Trustees of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District voted unanimously to place a $139 million general obligation bond on the November 8, 2016 general election ballot focused on addressing the following identified needs:

Build a Regional Public Safety Training Facility

Expand our career and technical education (CTE) training facilities

Increase support for our Veterans and current military

Improve STEM labs by bringing them up-to-date (last upgrade to science labs was in 2004)

Upgrade classrooms and facilities in our almost 50-year old buildings to better align with modern day educational needs

Improve our infrastructure, including technology and other critical components

Measure H was approved by the voters in our District, thus ensuring a sound future for higher education in our community.

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Under a multiple measures approach, standardized testing is no longer the primary means of assessing if a student is prepared for college-level coursework.

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Shasta College provides a diverse student population with open access to undergraduate educational programs and learning opportunities, thereby contributing to the social, cultural, creative, intellectual, and economic development of our communities. The District offers general education, transfer and career-technical programs, and basic skills education. Shasta College provides opportunities for students to develop critical thinking, effective communication, quantitative reasoning, information competency, community and global awareness, self-efficacy, and workplace skills. Comprehensive student services programs and community partnerships support student learning and personal development.

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F2017 - Created 1st Co-Req Support Course ENGL 101A

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F2017 - Created 1st Co-Req Support Course ENGL 101A

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This is a co-requisite course was designed to provide instruction and guided practice in the reading, writing, and thinking skills necessary to succeed in transfer level English. Taking this lab concurrently with ENGL 1A is an alternative to taking the ENGL 190-ENGL 1A two-semester sequence.

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AB 705 requires that a community college district or college maximize the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within a one year timeframe and use, in the placement of students into English and math courses, one or more of the following: high school coursework, high school grades, and high school grade point average.

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Skip to Main Content

Umoja (a Kiswahili word meaning unity) is a community dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African American and other students. It is a family that helps its members navigate the college environment and become successful in education.

Shasta College's Umoja Community is open to all students but specifically designed to increase the retention and success rates, as well as the graduation and transfer rates, of African American students.

When the voices and histories of students are recognized, the opportunity for self-efficacy, or self-belief, emerges. We believe this is the foundation for academic success.

Our Mission

The Umoja Community seeks to:

Educate the whole student: body, mind and spirit

Engage students as full participants in the construction of knowledge and critical thought

Help students experience themselves as valuable and worthy of an education

Improve reading, writing, self-discipline, communication and critical thinking skills

If you're interested in joining our Umoja Community, please complete the online application. For more info, call us at (530) 242-7757.

Benefits of Participating in Umoja

As a part of the Umoja family, you will benefit from:

A strong support system and personal attention by counselors and program staff

Integrated instruction from caring faculty (coming soon!)

Peer tutoring and supplemental instruction tutoring

Motivational and cultural workshops

Campus tours

Mentorship with campus faculty, staff, and community members

Participation in the Umoja Community statewide events

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Skip to Main Content Umoja (a Kiswahili word meaning unity) is a community dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African American and other students. It is a family that helps its members navigate the college environment and become successful in education.

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In Spring 2018, Shasta College awarded its first Bachelor’s degrees in Health Information Management.

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2018 Formation of the Global Education Center

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2018 Formation of the Global Education Center

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More robust international recruitment
Global Relations Fellowship
Study Abroad Partnership with Soonchunhang University (S. Korea)
Global Expedition Program

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2018 Disbanded Office of Equity / Dean of Equity 

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2018 Disbanded Office of Equity / Dean of Equity 

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College decides to "infuse equity" into the entire campus system and disbands the Office of Equity and associated positions.

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Fall 2019 Writing Center Faculty Co-coordinator Position Established 

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Fall 2019 Writing Center Faculty Co-coordinator Position Established 

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English faculty liaison position established in the Writing Center to create a connection between the English department and The Learning Center.

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July 2018 - Carr Fire Evacuation Center @ SC

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July 2018 - Carr Fire Evacuation Center @ SC

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An erratic wildfire in Northern California advanced closer Friday morning to the edges of a city home to 92,000 people as more residents were forced to flee and officials announced a second emergency responder was killed.

The Carr Fire, which spread late Thursday at the height of a blistering heat wave, has scorched more than 44,000 acres and was only 3 percent contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire.

The flames had jumped the Sacramento River and was approaching Redding, a city located in Shasta County and about 160 miles north of Sacramento.

Cal Fire said Friday that a Redding firefighter was killed. It earlier reported a bulldozer driver helping to battle the blaze also died. The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1934 said Friday afternoon that Fire Inspector Jeremy Stoke was killed while battling the Carr Fire.

Amid intense heat, it expanded so quickly that it wiped out the progress firefighters had made since it began burning on Monday.

Cal Fire Deputy Chief Scott McLean told NBC News that "a wall of flame" hit the western part of Redding, an area where around 5,000 people live.

"For the most part, west Redding is on fire," he said, adding that a "significant" number of structures had burned, including residences. McLean said the blaze was "taking everything down in its path."

Cal Fire Department Unified Incident Commander Chief Brett Gouvea urged people to heed evacuation orders and to leave their homes promptly.

"This fire is extremely dangerous and moving with no regard to what's in its path," Gouvea told a press conference late Thursday local time.

Gouvea said other firefighters and civilians had been injured, but gave no further details. Three Marin County firefighters suffered burn injuries while battling the Carr Fire Thursday, that fire department said. Two of those firefighters were treated and released, and one was receiving further evaluation at a hospital, the department said Friday.

The blaze was moving "extremely quickly and erratically" into western Redding, Gouvea said, and was making a "significant push" into the northwestern part of the city.

Cal Fire issued further evacuation orders Friday for cities north or Redding toward Shasta Lake.

Mercy Medical Center told NBC affiliate KNVN that it was on high alert and confirmed that it was treating several burn victims in its emergency room. The hospital said it planned to move babies and intensive-care patients late Thursday.

An evacuation center at a high school in Redding was also forced to shut and move to Shasta College.

"The fire is picking up again with these high winds, and the unpredictability of how the wind is going to blow this is just crazy," Sgt. Tim Hinkson of the state Highway Patrol's Redding unit said in a Facebook video post. "It's out of control."

Topography, high heat, years of rain/snowpack deficits and winds of up to 70 mph have contributed to conditions and made this an extremely erratic and dangerous fire. Firefighters have been fighting the inferno in near-record temperatures that have hit more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit for the past three days.

Dramatic footage posted online by the Peardale-Chicago Park Fire Department, of Nevada County, shows vehicles driving past what they describe as a "fire whirl," while battling the blaze in Shasta County.

Cal Fire spokesman Jonathan Cox told the Record Searchlight newspaper that firefighters cannot keep up with the blaze as it spreads.

"This fire is moving at such speed and such intensity that it's moving faster than we can," he told the Redding-based publication.

Gov. Jerry Brown declared states of emergency in Shasta County as well as Riverside County in the south, where the Cranston Fire also forced evacuations and burned homes.

The intentionally set Cranston Fire was so powerful that it created its own weather system, dotting the area with lightning as it raced through dry Southern California mountain land in Riverside County.

It grew to 11,500 acres after an arsonist started it around noon Wednesday (3 p.m. ET) in the San Jacinto Mountains in San Bernardino National Forest, east of Los Angeles, Cal Fire said.

About 3,200 residents were evacuated from more than 2,100 homes, and about 600 more homes were in immediate danger in harshly hot, dry conditions, authorities said.

"We were all peeling out of there as fast as we could. It was apocalyptic," William Blodgett of Idyllwild, a town of about 12,000 people that was under the most immediate threat, told NBC Los Angeles.

Brandon N. McGlover, 32, of Temecula, south of Los Angeles, was charged Friday with 15 counts of arson related to nine wildfires, the largest of which was the Cranston Fire, The Riverside County District Attorney's Office said Friday. He was arrested on Wednesday. The nine fires were all set that same day.

Jail records Thursday night listed no attorney who could comment in McGlover's behalf. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The district attorney's office said that five homes have been destroyed in the Cranston Fire.

There are already 200 more fires in California to date in 2018 than the same period last year. A total of 130,000 acres burned vs. 240,000 acres.

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Raging wildfire threatens Northern California city, kills 2

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"A wall of flame" hit the western part of the city, an area where around 5,000 people live. "For the most part, west Redding is on fire," one official said.

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2020 - COVID Moves all Classes/Supports Online

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2020 - COVID Moves all Classes/Supports Online

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Shasta College president Joe Wyse announced Monday morning the school will finish the spring semester with all of its classes online starting March 30 in response to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak.

Wyse said the school is formulating a plan for students who lack internet access at home and are at greater risk of illness from going to places where people gather to complete homework assignments and tests.

"We have a few laptops we are redeploying and making available through our library lending program," Wyse said.

The campus will be closed Monday and Tuesday before reopening Wednesday-Friday for staff as Shasta begins its transition to teaching courses online. Students and outside visitors without proper identification or permission will not be allowed on campus.
Coronavirus live updates: Forest Service says call first before visiting its offices
Shasta College had a checkpoint at the main entrance with several school police officers letting people in and out of campus.

Wyse also announced summer session registration will begin on March 24 and spring break will be March 23-27.

"Our primary concern is for the health, safety and wellness of our community and our mission which is providing instruction for our students," Wyse said. "That remains our top priority."

One of the big challenges for Shasta College will be how it will incorporate lab classes in nursing and vocational classes, such as welding into an online structure.

"We are already about 33% online and we have hybrid classes so those will be easy to transition as well," Wyse said. "We are working with our faculty and deans with our specialty courses because you can't really wield online. How do we prep to finish those and our hope is to have limited access for our lab classes that can't go online. We are working through those issues in the next 10 days and we will be communicating with those students."

The coronavirus is putting students, who may be homeless and hungry, at risk. A study at The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University in 2018 found that 18% of community college students nationwide are homeless.

"Our primary method is to ensure our financial aid process continues to happen for our students," Wyse said. "We are working with our managers to make sure the processing of that continues for all of our workers, our students and student workers. We have federal guidance on how to answer financial aid questions."

The shutdown of Shasta College could affect students who have families.

"What we are trying to do is help our faculty be as flexible as possible with assignments with our students," Wyse said. "This week should help parents, and moving things online will make things more flexible. Everything is being complicated by decisions being made at our local elementary schools and high schools."

Shasta College is one of eight community colleges in the state that have dorms. Roughly 120 students reside in these dorms, but Wyse mentioned that some have wanted to leave early and return home to their parents to continue their online education.
COVID-19: How Redding nursing homes are preparing in the midst of coronavirus threat
"Those students are a definite concern and we had a good meeting with them yesterday," Wyse said. "We are working with them on those situations right now."

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Here's how Shasta College is transitioning to online courses during COVID-19 outbreak

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Shasta College president Joe Wyse held a press conference on Tuesday to give updates on how his school is handling COVID-19.

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Fall 2020 marked the 70th Anniversary of Shasta College, serving the north state with pride and distinction.

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2021 - Basic Needs Center Established (The Hub)

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2021 - Basic Needs Center Established (The Hub)

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Today - 10,000 miles & bigger than Massachusetts

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Today - 10,000 miles & bigger than Massachusetts

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Today, Shasta College extends its educational, cultural, and recreational facilities and services to all people in Shasta, Tehama, and Trinity Counties, including parts of Lassen, Modoc, and Humboldt Counties, an area that is more than 10,000 square miles, which is larger than the State of Massachusetts. A seven-member Board of Trustees, plus a non-voting Student Trustee, represents the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District.

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ENGL 1AX course is created to replace ENGL 1A + ENGL 101A to reduce enrollment issues and assessment challenges.

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F2023 Pre-Transfer Math/ENGL Courses Eliminated 

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F2023 Pre-Transfer Math/ENGL Courses Eliminated 

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As of Fall 2023, no pre-transfer math and English courses are offered.

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Shasta College students, faculty and staff will say goodbye to the school's longtime president after the fall semester wraps up.

Joe Wyse announced plans to retire in December after serving as the college's superintendent and president for 12 years, according to a press release issued by the college on Friday.

During his tenure, Wyse lead "initiatives that have transformed the college and positioned it to help students... learn employable job skills or transfer to a four-year university" without a lot of debt, Shasta College's Director of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations Peter Griggs said in the press release.

Shasta College appointed Wyse to be its vice president of administrative services in 2007 before he advanced to the presidency in 2011, Griggs said.

Under Wyse's leadership, the school managed to keep average student costs down. Tuition for California residents to attend Shasta College full time during the 2023-2024 school year is $1,190, according to Griggs: $7 more than it cost in 2013-2014, according to the College Tuition Compare website.

That's also $56 less than the average annual tuition per year ($1,246) at state community colleges, according to college comparison website Community College Review and $6,800 less than California State University, Chico's undergraduate tuition of about $8,064 for the 2023-2024 school year, according to CSU's website.
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Tuition for most students is even lower with grants, scholarships and other financial aid and the two-years of free school available under the Shasta College Promise program that was developed under Wyse, Griggs said.

Wyse helped develop and was active in education and career readiness programs, including cradle-to-college education network North State Together and the Shasta College Attainment and Innovation Lab for Equity, a program designed to help the school fill educational gaps in rural communities, according to Griggs.

He also helped launch projects funded by the $139 million Measure H bond, supported by voters in the Nov. 8, 2016 election. These "include building the Regional Public Safety Training Center, which trains future firefighters," expansions to career and technical education training facilities and building the new "cutting-edge" computer information systems building and the new Veterans Support and Success Center, Griggs said.

"Any success is a result of a team effort," Wyse said in a statement issued by Shasta College. "I am proud of the inclusive and welcoming environment at the college where we work to eliminate barriers to success and make sure every student can achieve their goals, regardless of their background or circumstances."

Wyse also helped the college grow partnerships with North State businesses and government agencies ― including Sierra Pacific Industries and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Those partnerships help the college offer curriculum in line with those organizations' needs for their future employees, Griggs said in the announcement.

"The college has been guided by Dr. Wyse's reassuring and steady leadership" during power shutoffs, freak snow storms and the COVID pandemic shutdown, Griggs said. And when the Carr Fire devastated western Shasta County, the college opened its doors to some of the 40,000 evacuees displaced by the fire, creating an evacuation center that housed people for weeks after the fire started in July, 2018.

In his statement, Wyse said he was "humbled to have played a small role in the college's progress and the positive impact we have had on our local communities."

Shasta College administrators and board members will soon start screening candidates to replace Wyse, according to the press release.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter@RS_JSkropanic and on. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
In fall, 2022, Shasta College welcomed 8,159 students who enrolled at the school's two Redding campuses, and satellite campuses in Burney, Weaverville and Red Bluff, according to the school.

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Shasta College president retires after 12 years developing fire, equity and work programs

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Shasta College President Joe Wyse announced he'll retire in December, 2023. Here's what the Redding college accomplished under his leadership.

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The college begins to eliminate all pre-transfer coursework for transfer-level courses.