Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Voters will decide in November whether to support a new bond measure that could raise as much as $700 million to provide Chaffey College students with new classrooms, labs and modern technology.
The Chaffey College Governing Board adopted a resolution during a special meeting on July 9 that authorized the placement of a bond on the Nov. 6 ballot. The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters certified Measure P on August 14.
“Chaffey College takes pride in offering quality academic and vocational programs for students throughout the region so that they can seamlessly transfer to four-year colleges and universities, or obtain technical career training. More funding is needed to improve and expand our facilities, which will help Chaffey continue its mission,” said Superintendent/President Dr. Henry D. Shannon.
Chaffey plans to use the funds for various initiatives outlined in its Vision 2025, including:
- Upgrading classrooms, labs and technology
- Repairing deteriorating gas, electrical and sewer lines and fixing leaky roofs
- Upgrading job training facilities for manufacturing, skilled trades and health occupations
- Upgrading and expanding facilities for veterans’ services and job training
Projects slated for the Fontana campus under bond funding include a campus center building at the corner of Sierra and Merrill avenues, as well as two instructional buildings. The campus center will house the student services center, meeting spaces and administration. Classrooms, labs, faculty offices and collaboration spaces will be included in plans for the instructional buildings.
In Chino, improvements include two new instructional facilities, which will provide classroom space, an expanded library and learning resources center. The facilities will house faculty offices and space for faculty to receive professional development resources and support. Plans also include a new maintenance building.
Plans for the Rancho Cucamonga campus include the demolition of several 1950s-era buildings and the construction of new ones including four instructional buildings, a campus center, a parking structure and welcome center, as well as a new library. The bond will also fund projects to either renovate or repurpose several buildings including the automotive technology lab, the gymnasium and athletic fields.
Chaffey will also build a campus in Ontario with bond funding.
The bond will require a citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits. It will allow Chaffey to qualify for state matching funds. With this bond and existing taxes authorized by voters in 2002 under Measure L, the average homeowner in the Chaffey Community College District will pay $75 extra in annual property taxes, which is less than residents pay in other community college districts in the region.
Related Stories: Recent Inland Empire College Projects
