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Fire Commission unanimously approves MOU to register recruits as City College students
Summary
The San Francisco Fire Commission approved a memorandum of understanding with City College of San Francisco to register fire recruits as City College students; the MOU will let the department be reimbursed for instruction hours and provide recruits with college credits and student services.
The San Francisco Fire Commission on Jan. 9 unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the San Francisco Fire Department and City College of San Francisco to register fire academy recruits as City College students and to translate academy hours into college credit.
The agreement, described to the commission by Mark Horso of the department’s Finance and Planning office, will initially cover the department’s state‑certified 20‑week recruit academy and the first year of probationary training. Horso said the department will pay enrollment fees up front and then invoice City College for reimbursement from state apportionment funds; the draft sets reimbursement at $3.50 per hour for the academy and $2.00 per hour for the probationary period.
Jim Connors, a retired department captain who leads City College’s administration of justice and fire science program, told commissioners the City College board of trustees approved the MOU on Dec. 13, 2018, and that the partnership creates a revenue stream and additional supports for recruits such as counseling, academic assistance and course credit that can apply toward an associate degree.
Commissioners asked how the arrangement fits into longer academic goals. City College representatives said units earned through the academy will count toward an associate degree and that the college is pursuing a certificate of achievement to be routed through the curriculum committee this semester; the certificate could take roughly a year to finalize. Department staff emphasized the MOU is being initiated as a pilot for the academy and probationary period, with potential expansion later to other state training and professional courses.
Commissioners moved and seconded approval, and the measure passed by unanimous vote.
The commission asked staff to monitor implementation, including billing and documentation procedures, and to report back if operational changes are needed. The department indicated the first academy under the MOU is scheduled to begin Jan. 28.
