Questions and Answers About Measure C

 

Q:        Why do we need Measure C?

A:            Like old homes, college buildings need basic repairs and upgrades. Our colleges’ classrooms, labs and buildings are thirty, forty and in some cases fifty years old. Repairs and improvements to our infrastructure must be made to continue to meet teaching needs and the modern educational needs of our students. Many of those buildings need upgrades including updating for energy efficiency and wiring electrical systems for modern technology.

 

The Coast Community College District is the seventh largest community college district in the nation, encompassing more than 152 buildings and more than 1.5 million square feet on 312 acres. Orange Coast College was founded in 1948, and much of the college’s infrastructure has not been upgraded since the World War II era.

 

Enrollment at the three colleges within the district surpassed 60,000 students in 2001-02, and projections from the State Chancellor’s office indicate continued growth in student populations. To accommodate this growing demand, our colleges will need more space for classrooms and expanding services.

 

Measure C repairs and improves our colleges at a time when community colleges in California are being forced to cut classes and turn away students.

 

 

Q:        What are some of the specific projects funded by Measure C?

A:            Measure C provides funding to address the critical upgrades and health and safety needs of our colleges, including:

·         Expanding space for classrooms, labs and lecture halls.

·         Upgrading our libraries.

·         Maintaining a strong focus on academics and vocational training.

·         Installing and repairing fire and other safety equipment.

·         Updating and connecting technology systems.

·         Making buildings more accessible to the disabled.

 

 

Q:        How were these needs identified?

A:        A facilities task force at each college, including campus faculty, staff and students, developed a recommended list of facilities needs and forwarded those lists to each college’s planning and budget committee for further discussion and refinement. Each college submitted a final needs list to the District.

 

Q:        Are these routine maintenance problems?

A:             NO. These problems are far beyond ongoing maintenance issues. Our colleges have done a good job with ongoing maintenance, but we have significant renovation and repair needs due to the age of our facilities and the expected growth in our student population.

 

 

 

Q:        Why do we have these problems?

A:             Like community colleges throughout California, our colleges suffer from old buildings used by generations of students, coupled with limited funding. Currently, the State only has enough money in the pipeline to fund four percent of the facilities needs of community colleges throughout California. Community colleges across the state lost significant funding in the last state budget.

 

 

Q:        Are all colleges benefiting from Measure C?

A:             YES. We will add classrooms and make improvements at all three of our colleges. For example:

At Coastline Community College, Measure C will:

 

• Upgrade technology and telecommunications facilities to accommodate additional courses and student capacity for Distance Learning.
• Replace 30-year old classrooms at the Technology Center with modern classrooms, computer labs, teaching and instructional spaces to meet the demands of local employers.

 

At Golden West College, Measure C will:

·         Upgrade facilities and expand capacity for the Nurse Training program

·         Install emergency telephones and make other safety upgrades on campus

 

At Orange Coast College, Measure C will:

• Construct a new library that meets current safety standards
• Expand classrooms and laboratories for mathematics, science, marine, business and computer science

 

 

Q:        What will Measure C cost me?

A:             The impact of the Coast Community College District bond on individual property owners would be an average of $16.76 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Under Proposition 39, Districts are permitted to ask for up to $25 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Remember – assessed valuation refers to taxable property value, not market value.

 

Q:        How do I know that bond money will be spent as promised?

A:             Measure C includes strict financial requirements that exceed state law. An independent Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee with expertise in finance, construction management, and education will closely monitor all expenditures, to ensure that bond money is spent only on the projects specified in your voter handbook. By law, no money can be spent on administrators’ salaries or other operating costs.

 

 

Q.        What about the State Education Bond?

A:             While all state educational funding is urgently needed, the legislature has habitually placed community college funding on the back burner, compared to K-12 districts and four-year universities. The upcoming state education bond mirrors that state of affairs with community colleges receiving comparatively little. The Coast District, despite being one of the largest community college districts in the state is only slated to receive $2.1 million for plans and working drawings for two projects. This is just a fraction of a percent of the total funding. At one point in negotiations, the Coast District was not going to have a single project included in the state bond.