Cal Poly good idea

Bakersfield Californian 2/5/07

Establishing a Cal Poly in eastern Kern County or the Antelope Valley may be considered competition for Cal State Bakersfield. But Bakersfield university officials are supportive of the idea that is, if it doesn't come at the expense of CSUB.

Mike Stepanovich, public affairs director at CSUB, observes that by the time a state polytechnic university can be justified and built in eastern Kern County, CSUB will be able to meet the demand of more students. CSUB projects 18,000 students by the 2014-2015 school year. The university now has about 7,700 students.

The Antelope Valley Board of Trade is proposing three possible high desert sites for a Cal Poly that would educate engineers and other specialists to support the area's aerospace industry.

Cal State Bakersfield also wants to add an engineering program. But its efforts have been shot-down twice because of state financial crises.

The demand for engineers and specialists in the southern San Joaquin Valley, as well as the Antelope Valley can support two campuses offering these programs. They will benefit local students, attract students from other areas and support a growing and diversified regional economy.

The idea of creating a Cal Poly campus in eastern Kern County or the Antelope Valley is in the infant stages. The process could take up to 20 years and require clearing many political hurdles.

Creating this new campus deserves support. So does creating an engineering program at Cal State Bakersfield.