MIRA COSTA COLLEGE: BUILDING OUR FUTURE

MIRACOSTA COLLEGE: BUILDING OUR FUTURE

by Dr. Sunny Cooke, Superintendent/President MiraCosta College

Fewer than 18 months have passed since voters overwhelmingly approved Measure MM, a $455 million construction bond that is allowing MiraCosta to make a significant investment in our region through the modernization of facilities and instructional technology. Yet, we already have made several significant benchmarks in the construction process.

In addition to providing quality education to our region’s future labor force, MiraCosta College has a substantial economic impact on our community. Students who have attended MiraCosta College in the past 30 years alone contribute more than $430 million in added regional income annually due to their higher earnings and the increased output of area businesses. In all, MiraCosta College generates an economic impact of more than $338 million annually to the region’s gross regional product, enough to support more than 5,000 jobs in its service area.

The benefit MiraCosta provides is about to get larger. The $2.2 million modernization of a major classroom building at the San Elijo Campus will begin this summer, and planning is well under way on a number of other notable projects. To ensure the bond money remains in our economy, the MiraCosta College Board of Trustees made a commitment to give preference to local companies.

Our independent citizen’s bond oversight committee, formed just last spring, is regularly reviewing all financials, as well as design and construction status as part of the important work in ensuring transparency, accountability, and good stewardship of public funds. In the fall, MiraCosta earned the highest ratings from both Moody’s Investors Services (Moody’s) and Standard & Poor’s Global (S&P). The high rating equates to lower borrowing costs, more money to invest in construction and improvements, and greater savings to our local taxpayers.

When MiraCosta College placed Measure MM before voters in November 2016, we made a promise to modernize and upgrade our campuses in a fiscally responsible manner. Under the guidance of our bond program manager, Kitchell, a firm that has worked with colleges and universities across the country, we already have several projects in the design phase and the Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) are finalized. Among the projects in the first phase of construction, the Oceanside Campus will undergo a transformation

of the outdated track and field to include a soccer field fit for international competitions, a new multi-purpose field, and a new jogging-and-walking path for the entire community to enjoy.

Additional Measure MM projects in the design phase include a new student resources building at the Community Learning Center and a new student services and administration building at the San Elijo Campus. Several additional projects will be entering the design phase by summer, among them are a new allied health, chemistry and biotechnology building, student services building, and a gymnasium complex at our Oceanside Campus.

More is on the way. Upcoming improvements include expanding the Oceanside Campus Veterans Center, upgrading career training facilities, modernizing instructional technology, improving access for students with disabilities, and updating science centers and labs to allow for state-of-the-art courses in biology, chemistry and physical sciences.

While we are looking to ensure our Measure MM designs will be as appealing aesthetically as they are functional, it’s important to know these projects are not for show. A recent study of facility conditions found that close to two-thirds of our buildings at the Oceanside Campus alone need to be renovated or replaced. Our students and faculty deserve world-class instructional facilities and our community deserves a well-trained workforce.

For 84 years MiraCosta College has served our community, and we thank you for your continued support.

12 | Oceanside Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Business Journal Spring 2018 | www.oceansidechamber.com