Cal State Riverside Could Become Reality — At Least Supes Hope So

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA -- The next California State University campus should open in Riverside County as the region desperately needs another option for residents looking to pursue higher education, county officials said. The need for a Cal State Riverside is detailed in the county's recently released 2018 Legislative Platform, a document that provides where supervisors stand on state and federal issues.

The report, prepared by county staff, said the government "supports the formation of a new CSU campus in Riverside County, either by upgrading one of the existing satellite campuses or establishing an entirely new campus."

County staff argued that Riverside County is the fourth largest county in the state, yet, it lacks a "full-fledged, self-identified California State University (CSU) campus." Although, the region is home to the UC Riverside, the university has an enrollment cap of 24,000 students, the report said.

"The population of Riverside and San Bernardino counties is currently about 4,600,000, about 1,185,000 of whom (~26%) are under the age of 18; many of these residents will want to attend college," the report said. "A full CSU campus would allow area students to have much better access to the CSU system and a wider range of four-year degree programs. A fully functional campus, including on-campus housing, would reduce the burden on these students that comes from commuting so they can focus on the task of being students."

Employers are also hurting with the lack of higher education options in Riverside County, the report said.

"The skills gap is particularly pronounced for employers needing people with skills gained from education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (commonly referred to as STEM) fields," the report said. "A recent study found that Riverside County has one of the highest retention rates in the United States, at approximately 71%, suggesting that there is a great deal of opportunity available for college graduates."

The California State University system currently has 23 campuses with an enrollment of 479,000 students. The university system estimates at one in 10 employees in California graduated from a CSU campus.

Report the 2018 Legislative Platform here.

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