It
’s been more than a year since a $108-million bond for Gavilan
College facility upgrades and expansion was passed by voters, and
no physical changes have been made to the campus. But that doesn’t
mean college officials aren’t working on it.
It’s been more than a year since a $108-million bond for Gavilan College facility upgrades and expansion was passed by voters, and no physical changes have been made to the campus. But that doesn’t mean college officials aren’t working on it.
The first $30 million bond was issued last year, which means the school has three years to spend the money.
While the thought of going on a $30-million shopping spree might bring images of one running through store aisles, arms spread, dumping whatever you can reach into a cart – this is not exactly the approach Gavilan is taking.
“We want to be very careful in how we go through with this,” said Gavilan president Steve Kinsella. “We don’t want to act too quickly and misuse funds.”
All monetary decisions must first be approved by a Citizens Oversight Committee as well as Gavilan’s board of trustees. Based upon 2003 projections, the district, which stretches from south San Jose to San Benito County should experience a 74 percent student population increase by 2020, and by 2030, 93 percent. The need for expanding Gavilan’s campus is substantial, Kinsella said.
Also, negotiations for a parcel of land in Coyote Valley north of Morgan Hill are under way.
“We are very active in the procurement process,” he said. Over a 15- to 20-year span, if growth follows projected expectations, the campus will expand its attendance to 10,000.
The first physical change to the Gilroy campus will be an be upgraded tennis courts. There is no timeline in place yet.
Other work in the near future on the main campus south of Gilroy includes air conditioning and heating systems in all academic buildings and a new computerized management and information system, which may take between a year and 18 months to complete.
The next meeting of the Citizen’s Oversight Committee will be Monday, April 25, 6-7pm on the Gavilan College, Gilroy campus, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., Student Center in the North/South Lounge. All COC meetings are open to the public.
