You can help in our community’s effort to bring a four-year CSU Campus to the Coachella Valley.
The Coachella Valley has a unique opportunity to secure its own four-year university (note – we currently have satellite campuses with limited degree options). The Regents of California State University have commissioned a study to determine where to open a 24th campus within the CSU system. Palm Desert is on the short list, but we are not the only community seeking to secure this opportunity.
There are many factors that will play a role in the selection process, including projected population growth, current access to adjacent educational institutions, site feasibility and other matters of practicality and need. We strongly feel our proposed site that is the current home to the California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus, is competitive in every way. All that said, in many cases matters of this nature often come down to political will, and more importantly political pressure. While there are many factors and moving parts involved in the process, one person will be the key to the decision making process – Governor Gavin Newsom.
What can I do?
Our local elected leaders are doing their part to make the case for our valley, we need our community to do theirs. At the bottom of this message is a sample template you can use to write your own letter. The letter is just a suggested template, while you can use it as a standalone letter with no modifications, we encourage you to add your own personal reasons for wanting a campus. Did you have a child that had to leave the desert for their education? Do you own or operate a business that has jobs requiring a four-year degree? Have you personally benefited from attending a University close to home? Please feel free to include these stories in your letter.
But most importantly, please send a letter! You have two choices to send your communication.
Electronic Message
You can do this by copying and pasting your message into the Governor’s communication portal found HERE. Fill out your own information on the first page, click “Have a Comment” and “UC/CSU Issues/Concerns” for the Subject. On the second page, paste your message into the form and click send. The portal allows for up to 6,000 characters, so you have plenty of room to write.
USPS Mail
You can also send a more formal letter using traditional mail. The Governor can be reached at the following address.
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
1303 10th St, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
We also recommend you make your local Assemblymember aware of your support. You may contact them by electronic message or mail. Please note, the Assembly e-portals have lower character count requirements (2,000) than the Governor, it may be necessary to “trim” your message down some if you choose that method of delivery. They can be contacted below:
Assemblymember Chad Mayes
Electronic Portal HERE
or by USPS Mail:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Room 4098
Sacramento, CA 94249-0042
Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia
Electronic Portal HERE
or by USPS Mail:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Room 4140
Sacramento, CA 94249-0056
Thank you for your support of this important initiative. If you would like more information on why a CSU campus is so important to our valley, Joe Wallace of CVEP wrote an excellent opinion piece on the subject that can be found HERE.
Draft Letter
RE: Support for the Development of California State University Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley
Dear Governor Newsom,
I am writing you as a resident of (your city), located in the Coachella Valley. As our community continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in California, we struggle to keep our local workforce pipeline competitive. One key area that is lacking is local access to higher education for the youth in our area. They are not afforded the opportunity to attend a four-year university close to home that provides access to the entire suite of educational degrees to meet expanding workforce opportunities.
While we appreciate the presence of both our local community college, College of the Desert and the extension campus of California State University San Bernardino – Palm Desert, and the wonderful job they have done supplying additional opportunities for our youth to advance their education, a full suite of four-year degrees remains a challenge. It is more than an hour drive to the nearest California State University (CSU San Bernardino – 75 miles) or standalone four-year college of any kind (University of Redlands 60 miles). This requires most of our graduating high school students to seek education out of our area. As there is a direct relationship between higher education and its proximity to high-paying jobs, many of our youth are never afforded the opportunity to come back once they leave.
Our community has done our part. All nine of our local cities, the local business community and many generous philanthropists have come together over the last two decades to secure over 170 acres of land, multiple state-of-the-art buildings and infrastructure, and a master plan for further future development. This unprecedented step has led to a thriving education center that is ready and able to grow to meet the needs of our students.
I hope that the State of California is now ready to help as well. Two of your core values for our great State have been to support opportunities for youth and to create an economic system that is just and fair to all residents of California. The development of a four-year CSU campus in Palm Desert would go a long way to fulfill that mission. I ask that you select Palm Desert as the next location for a CSU campus.
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