The Gavilan College board of trustees will convene at 4 p.m.
this afternoon to review the status of campus projects funded by
Measure E and discuss future campus expansion into Coyote Valley
and San Benito County.
The Gavilan College board of trustees will convene at 4 p.m. this afternoon to review the status of campus projects funded by Measure E and discuss future campus expansion into Coyote Valley and San Benito County.
Measure E, a $108-million facilities improvement bond passed by voters in 2004, will fund only the site acquisition stages of the new campuses. The selection and purchase of the land is already underway.
With $40 million budgeted for its expansion projects alone, the college has devoted the remaining funds to upgrading its current campus. No new construction is included in the price tag for Gavilan’s expansion into Coyote Valley and Hollister. This has allowed the college to stay on budget, said President Steven Kinsella.
A district growth analysis projects a student population at the main campus in Gilroy of more than 13,000 by 2030. When the bond was passed in 2004, that campus was home to 5,000 students. Since tuition prices of state universities have increased in past years, more students are relying on community colleges such as Gavilan for job training and preparation for four-year colleges. With buildings more than 40 years old on its existing campus, the college proposed the bond to make essential repairs and upgrades to meet the needs of today’s students, college staff said.
In order to stick to the projected budget, the college spent two years planning the projects that would be covered by Measure E funds, Kinsella said.
“The bond narrowly passed,” he said. “It was very clear from the beginning that we could only ask the voters for a certain amount.” No new construction was included in the plans but major renovations were necessary to update the Gilroy campus.
Possible items for discussion tonight include the progress of renovations to the main campus’ arts building and of the state of changes to the school’s security and maintenance program.
