COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:Students, community benefit greatly from Measure C

In November 2002, voters in the Coast Community College District approved Measure C, a $370-million general obligation bond measure to fund improvements at the district’s three colleges — Coastline, Golden West and Orange Coast. To date, more than $200 million of these funds have been expended on construction projects throughout the district — more than $100 million at Orange Coast College alone. As the chair of the Measure C Citizens’ Oversight Committee, I am proud to represent our community in ensuring that funds allocated to projects at the campuses within the Coast Community College District are being used to benefit the students and our communities.

The three colleges are working hard to ensure that current and future students as well as the greater community will be positively affected by the changes. As promised, the district has adhered to the requirements of Proposition 39 and not used any of the bond funds for administrators’ salaries or operating expenses.

Here in Costa Mesa, at Orange Coast College, Measure C has allowed several upgrades to classrooms and infrastructure. Last summer, OCC celebrated the opening of Watson Hall. In 2004, OCC renovated the parking lot to add 500 more student parking spaces, upgraded utilities including underground lines for storm water, fire prevention and reclaimed water, along with many other infrastructure improvements. Orange Coast College also remodeled its 50-year-old LeBard Stadium and installed a state-of-the-art artificial surface called FieldTurf. Orange Coast College also completed a new artificial-surface soccer facility north of the stadium that will host men’s and women’s soccer matches. In Newport Beach, the OCC School of Sailing and Seamanship saw upgrades to the seawall and ramp.

It is important to note that each campus continues to work toward the goals set within their master plans and strives to ensure that each dollar of Measure C funding is spent in support of their overall mission to provide quality, affordable and accessible education to all Californians. Administrators at the district and at the campuses, working together with campus groups, continue to assess and evaluate each project and how it will affect students and add value to our communities. Within each project, energy savings and efficiency materials and appliances are carefully considered. Most of the projects will result in an overall utility and long-term maintenance cost savings, not to mention the overall improvement of the facilities for the employees, which will likely result in improved performance.

On behalf of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee, I invite you to learn more about Measure C and its benefits by visiting www.cccd.edu/measurec or by contacting the Coast Community College District at (714) 438-4600.