Auto program adds drug testing to entrance requirements

This fall, the Automotive Technology Program at UCC is adopting entrance requirements for the first time.

Students will be required to take a urine drug screen at the time they apply to the program. No student will be admitted to the program without passing the drug screen.

According to automotive instructor Kevin Mathweg, having no entrance requirements has posed a problem. “The class fills up with students who may not be serious about their education and that leaves no space for students who really want to be there.”

The new rules will also require students to complete prerequisites in Math 10, Reading 80 and Writing 90 with a grade of C or better as well as attend an orientation session and a screening interview.

“These requirements were put in place to help our students be as successful as possible,” Mathweg said. “Instead of having 42 students take the course and only 10 go on to graduate, we want 20 students to take the course and have 20 graduates.”

Besides the automotive program, only one other program at UCC requires drug screenings. The nursing program currently requires students to pass a urine drug screen and also a criminal background check.

Welding instructor Ian Fisher said that the welding program has no plans at this time to require drug testing but he does believe it to be a good idea.

“My stance on it is, I think it is a good idea for all CTE programs to require drug testing, even culinary, because there are potential dangers there also.

When students graduate and go out into the workforce, they are surely going to be faced with a UA or two. They need to be prepared for that, not to mention they are representing UCC.”

Brandon Bjerke, a current automotive student, believes the new requirements will be beneficial to the program. “We work with a lot of equipment here that could be dangerous. If someone was impaired in some way, they could make a mistake that could really hurt someone. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” Bjerke said.

Three brand new cars have been donated to the program by Toyota, including a prototype car that was never introduced to the public. The UCC auto shop currently has about $400,000 worth of vehicles available to students for hands-on learning.

Anyone who is interested in entering the automotive program can contact Kevin Mathweg by phone at 541-440-4652 or by email at Kevin.mathweg@umpqua.edu. A list of names will be compiled of people interested in taking the course and those people will be contacted when the application process is open. Mathweg hopes to have it open sometime this summer.

The Mainstream is a student publication of Umpqua Community College.