KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Measure E, the bond measure designed to add new classrooms and labs at College of the Canyons and expand access to growing numbers of Santa Clarita Valley students, has received the endorsement of the SCV Chamber of Commerce, officials announced Wednesday.
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“College of the Canyons is a valued partner that shares our commitment to supporting Santa Clarita’s business community and growing the local economy,” said Curtis Woods, chair of the SCV Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “Given the college’s strategic, specific plans to expand degrees and career training programs through the facilities made possible by Measure E, we see the bond as a key investment in Santa Clarita’s future economic health.”
The college currently offers 83 degree options that transfer to four-year universities, plus 68 certificates that equip students to launch careers in fast-growing, well-paying industries like biotechnology and advanced manufacturing.
At the same time, local companies rely on COC for a wide range of free and low-cost services, from customized technology training to free counseling for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Get live news updates about Santa Clarita by following KHTS on Facebook and KHTS on TwitterCOC’s Economic Development Division secured $3.9 million in grants and revenue that provided training for 2,985 employees at 833 companies during 2014-15.
The Small Business Development Center helped launch 46 business start-ups and assisted local businesses in creating 258 new jobs.
If passed by voters on June 7, Measure E will provide $230 million for College of the Canyons to build new classrooms and labs at the Valencia and Canyon Country campuses that will accommodate growing student enrollment.
Now serving about 20,000 students, enrollment is projected to grow steadily in the coming years. The college expects to need space to enroll 30,000 students in about 10 years, a 50 percent increase from the current student population.
Measure E will fund four new buildings totaling 172,000 square feet of learning and student service space at the Canyon Country Campus.
At Valencia, the bond will add 1,000 new parking spaces, renovate 350,000 square feet of learning space — much of it in classroom and lab buildings that are more than 40 years old — and build new facilities that will accommodate expanded allied health training programs.
Ed. Note: This article is a press release provided by Yes on E for COC.
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Two hundred thirty million dollars is way too much money to be spending on the COC expansion. Could this be part of the reason education is so expensive? YES!
We can save millions of dollars if we just use the illegal border crossing construction workers that are already sanctioned by the government to build the project. Why not? We could help slow down government hypocrisy.
Where do all those millions of dollars come from?
It comes from an increase in property tax, 15 dollars for every 100,000 dollars of assessed wealth. COC is in need of more space and renovated space alike. The college is crowded and parking is near impossible through most of the day. I think it’s a good investment that really is key to Valencia. Registration times are a mad rush to get key classes with wait lists that ended up with dozens of students the class can’t accommodate.
The campus may have needs but we shouldn’t just give unaccountable people money to start projects that you and I know will have “cost over runs” as they demand even more money. Make them show where every penny will be spent and if they deviate from that schedule they should be incarcerated for many years in prison.