Foothill College: A Hub of Education and Innovation in Los Altos Hills

Foothill College, a public community college, is located in the scenic rolling hills of Los Altos Hills, California. As part of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, Foothill College has been serving the communities of Los Altos Hills, Los Altos, Mountain View, and Palo Alto, which together constitute the northwest corner of Silicon Valley.

Historical Overview

Foothill College was founded on January 15, 1957, by Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent Henry M. Gunn. The first classes were offered on September 15, 1958, marking the beginning of an institution that would become a cornerstone of education in the region. The college officially opened in September of the same year, welcoming students to its innovative campus.

Campus Design and Features

The Foothill College campus was designed by architect Ernest Kump and landscape architects Hideo Sasaki and Peter Walker. Their vision was to create a space that resembled a neo-Japanese garden, providing a serene and aesthetically pleasing environment for students and faculty. The 122-acre campus was intended to accommodate 3,500 full-time students, setting the stage for the many junior colleges that would follow in California after World War II.

The campus boasts a variety of facilities, including:

Dr. Bamboo Garden
Olympic-Size Swimming Pool
Softball/Soccer Field
Robert C. Theater
Dental Health Clinic
Football Stadium and All-Weather Track

These facilities support a comprehensive intercollegiate athletics program, where students and coaches enjoy a celebrated tradition of success in athletics and academics.

Expansion and Adaptation

In 2002, Foothill College expanded its reach by opening a second campus on the site of the former Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, leasing facilities from the Palo Alto School District. This expansion aimed to accommodate the growing student population.

In September 2016, the college replaced the Palo Alto campus with the Sunnyvale Center, built on part of the site of the now closed Onizuka Air Force Station. This new center preserved artifacts from the "Blue Cube," embedding shards of its skin in walkways, thus blending history with modern education.

Recognizing the need to upgrade its facilities to accommodate its growing student body, Foothill College began a comprehensive renovation project in 2003. This project included the demolition and replacement of unsafe buildings.

Academics and Programs

Foothill College offers a wide range of academic programs, with students able to earn degrees and certificates in 75 different fields. Popular programs include:

Psychology, General
Business Administration and Management, General
Speech Communication and Rhetoric

The college utilizes a quarter-based academic year and maintains a student-faculty ratio of 28-to-1. Foothill College also offers credit for life experiences, acknowledging the diverse backgrounds and experiences of its students.

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Accreditation and Recognition

Foothill College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, ensuring that it meets high standards of educational quality and institutional effectiveness. The community college district's headquarters are located in one corner of the Foothill campus, further solidifying its role as a leading educational institution in the region.

Foothill is a member of the Coast Conference of the California Community College Commission on Athletics and NorCal Football Conference. The school mascot is an owl. Foothill's student government is the Associated Students of Foothill College (ASFC).

Five Foothill professors have won the Hayward Award of the Academic Senate of the California Community Colleges, given each year to a faculty member who has a "track record of excellence in both teaching and professional activities". Foothill's winners include Jay Manley, Mike McHargue, Elizabeth Barkley, Andrew Fraknoi, and Scott Lankford.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For the academic year 2020-2021, in-state tuition and fees were $1,565, while out-of-state tuition and fees were $10,790. At Foothill College, 26 percent of undergraduates receive grant or scholarship aid, and the average scholarship or grant award is $2,800.

Student Demographics

As of Fall 2022:

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Full-time enrollment: 4,016
Part-time enrollment: 10,589

Age Distribution:

Under 18: 11%
18-24: 47%
25-64: 42%
Over 65: 0%

Services and Resources

Foothill College provides a variety of services and resources to support its students, including:

Employment services for students
Credit for life experiences
Academic/career counseling service

The Electronics Museum

Between 1973 and 1991, an electronics museum stood on the Foothill College campus. The museum was established with the help of the Douglas Perham Electronic Foundation, which wanted a permanent home for its extensive electronics collection, including papers of the inventor of the vacuum tube amplifier, Lee de Forest. The foundation raised money to construct a museum building on the Foothill campus and donated its collection to the college.

The museum opened in 1973 and was initially operated by employees of Foothill College for six years until 1979, just after the passage of Proposition 13 rolled back property taxes and reduced funds to run the college. However, in 1988, the college board of trustees decided to close the museum, sell or donate the assets, and use the space for classrooms. A newly appointed Perham board member, Bart Lee, took on the case and sued Foothill, claiming the college violated an agreement with the Perham Foundation.

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