CCSF Trustees approve path forward for $845 million facilities bond, 10-year extension to Free City program, and first balanced budget in over a decade
Yesterday evening marked a historic meeting of the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) Board of Trustees. The body voted to approve the placement of an $845 million facilities bond on the March 3, 2020 ballot; ratified a Tentative Agreement that lays out the terms for a 10-year extension to the Free City program; and approved a balanced, student-centered budget with an emphasis on graduation.
“I’m grateful for the unanimous support of my colleagues on these votes, which are essential to creating a sustainable future for City College,” said Alex Randolph, President of the CCSF Board of Trustees. “We enroll and educate more students than any other San Francisco college or university. Balancing our budget, modernizing our learning spaces, and offering free access to education ensures we can continue serving our diverse community, close the achievement gap, and serve as an important resource for current and future generations of San Franciscans.”
The facilities bond, which will be decided by voters in March 2020, would fund campus improvements to develop 21st century learning spaces, the construction of a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) center, and the expansion of the workforce training center at the Bayview-Hunter’s Point Campus. The Board and Administration are committed to implementing project labor agreements for these bond construction activities.
The Free City Tentative Agreement secures more than $150 million over the next decade to extend tuition-free access to City College, and the balanced budget eliminates what was once a $50 million deficit while placing an emphasis on student-centered coursework that leads to a degree. These positive results were already seen in the 2018-2019 academic year, which resulted in the award of 36% more Associate Degrees and 40% more Certificates than the year before.
“This is a new, exciting chapter in City College history,” said CCSF Chancellor Dr. Mark Rocha. “These efforts reflect the tireless work of CCSF administrators, staff, faculty, and student leadership, and we are grateful for the strong support of our Trustees. We look forward to continuing our work creating an opportunity for all the people of San Francisco.”