Contrary to all the negative media coverage that it received last year because of faculty and budget cuts issues, Southwestern College announced this week a major development that will expand the services it offers its students on its main campus in Chula Vista.

    The Southwestern College Board of Governors approved Tuesday an 110,000 square foot project that, once completed, will include a new college bookstore, classroom space, food court, art gallery, culinary arts program, wellness center, administrative offices, conference space and police station.

    The development, which will be located on the college’s corner lot at the H St. and Otay Lakes Rd., will generate dozens of construction jobs and incorporate modern green building techniques.

    The approval of the project is an achievement for Yolanda Salcido, president of the Southwestern College Governing Board. She has been one of the most active advocates for the project for the past eight years since she joined the board.

    “To me this is fabulous,” Salcido said. “It’s been a long road. It has been a great effort from everyone involved. This is a significant catalyst for everyone coming together and moving such a significant project forward.”

    For Salcido, the new development, funded by Proposition R, which California voters approved in November 2008, will not only benefit students, but all of Chula Vista.

    “Our community at large will benefit,” she said.

    Salcido said that the college target date to break ground is September, but no completion date has been set.

    “This project is not going to happen tomorrow,” she said.

    The Southwestern College Board of Governors selected BCA Architects to complete the architectural design at a special Board meeting on Tuesday night.

    The firm and the college will continue to seek community input to improve the project.

    “This is our legacy to this community,” Dr. Raj K. Chopra, Superintendent/President of Southwestern College, said.  “This development will allow us to create jobs for our residents, offer more classes to our students and further our college’s reputation as a center of civic engagement and culture. We are grateful to the community for their energy and ideas, and for passing the bond measure that made this project possible.”

    Salcido added that since the economy is “turning around,” she’s confident that by the time the project is complete, Southwestern will be able to offer more services and classes for its students.

    “We are proud to be this community’s only institution of higher learning and when this project is complete, we will be able to offer more of the classes, programs and services that set our college apart,” Salcido said. “We are planning for the future.”

    Also this week, Southwestern College announced that it’s new Phlebotomy Program, which teaches the act of collecting blood samples for laboratory testing was approved by the State of California and will begin offering classes in May 2010. The new program received nearly $200,000 in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

            To learn more about Southwestern College and the programs it offers, visit www.swccd.edu.