SDSU Unveils Bold Plan for Growth

San Diego State University today unveiled a responsive 20-year growth plan intended to help the campus meet future demand for higher education.

SDSU's Campus Master Plan will guide the physical development of the campus through 2025 as it grows to serve an increasing number of Californians. University leaders say the updated plan will benefit the region and state by allowing SDSU to build necessary facilities to serve additional students and recruit top faculty.

"The Campus Master Plan revision is an important effort for the university," said Stephen L. Weber, SDSU President. "It will increase the university's capacity to serve at a time when student enrollment demand at SDSU is at an all-time high."

"With nearly 8,000 graduates each year - most of whom remain in San Diego - SDSU plays a key role in preparing the local workforce. We are the largest importer of bright minds to San Diego; this plan will ensure the university's continued ability to contribute to the region's prosperity," said Weber.

According to the California Post-Secondary Education Commission, there will be an increase of more than 700,000 students seeking higher education in the state by 2010-11, a trend often referred to as Tidal Wave II. The California State University (CSU) has indicated that no new campuses will be built in the immediate future - requiring the system's existing 23 campuses to accommodate future student enrollment demand.

SDSU's updated Campus Master Plan is a result of the work of the Campus Master Plan committee that was tasked with developing a strategy for the long-term growth of the campus. The committee - made up of faculty, staff, students and alumni - proposed a plan to increase SDSU's enrollment capacity, while planning future facilities on property owned by the university and SDSU Foundation adjacent to the main campus.

"The committee agreed that the growth of the main campus area is the best way to utilize SDSU's resources and achieve our educational objectives," said Fred Hornbeck, chair of the SDSU Senate and a member of the committee.

The plan proposes an increase in SDSU's enrollment capacity to 35,000 full-time equivalent students (FTES) over the next 20 years at a growth rate of approximately 3 percent per year. (In order to account for both full-time and part-time students, one full-time equivalent student equates to approximately 1.2 students on campus). Currently, the university's enrollment is capped at 25,000 FTES.

Future classroom and support facilities are proposed at Alvarado Campus Park, located immediately east of the SDSU campus on Alvarado Road. A shuttle service will connect the main campus with Alvarado Campus Park. Other projects include a 300-bed residence hall, a new Student Union building and a 120-room hotel along Alvarado Road.

Trolley service to SDSU, scheduled to begin in mid-2005, is expected to significantly improve access to the campus - easing parking and traffic flow. In addition, the university proposes to grow into a more residential campus, with the goal of housing at least 25 percent of all students on campus, within walking distance or around trolley stations.

The plan also proposes the development of affordable, high quality housing for faculty, staff, retired faculty and graduate students at Adobe Falls/North Campus (property owned by the university north of Interstate 8). Because of the high cost of housing in San Diego, offering an affordable, proximate housing option will help SDSU recruit and retain outstanding faculty.

Over the next nine months, SDSU planners will seek public input on the updated Campus Master Plan. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project is currently underway and will be available for public review in January 2005. A decision by the California State University Board of Trustees is expected in July 2005.

The university will be hosting informational meetings on the Campus Master Plan in November. For more information, visit the Campus Master Plan Web site at www.sdsu.edu/masterplan.

Contact: Aaron J. Hoskins, Media Relations, (619) 594-1119, ahoskins@mail.sdsu.edu