Roxbury Community College is an imposing presence at the intersection of Malcolm X Boulevard and Columbus Avenue, opposite the Roxbury Crossing MBTA station. RCC was founded in 1973, and has earned its status as a reliable secondary education resource despite the politically motivated assaults on the school’s reputation.
With strong community support, RCC has been able to expand and relocate over the years. In 1995, RCC opened the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center which management had constructed on time and under budget. Recently RCC completed a $72 million renovation that among other improvements, created a model library, a new cafeteria and student center, and a state-of-the-art nursing laboratory.
Despite the great progress in the quality of the facilities, much attention went to the loss of accreditation of RCC’s nursing program. The Massachusetts Board of Registration took that step because the pass rate for the licensing exam had fallen in past years. Another difficulty was a frequent change in the program’s faculty. With a substantial demand for top quality professional nurses in the Greater Boston market, some change could be expected.
Problems with certification testing is a frequent problem. Boston University once discontinued its public school education program because students’ scores on certification exams were too low.
RCC President Valerie Robeson has assured the community that remedial steps are underway. RCC will continue its objective to provide the affordable college education that is needed to enable residents to meet the qualifications in a changing employment world.
