EL CAJON (Press Release) – A report issued by the citizens’ committee overseeing construction at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges illustrates some of the dramatic changes that have taken place on the two East County campuses as the result of the $207 million construction project.
A new Health and Sciences Complex opened at Grossmont College in September, while the Business and Technology Building was completed in time for the spring 2010 semester. Work was finished on an expansion of the Cuyamaca College Learning Resource Center, and the only project remaining is a $36 million expansion and renovation of the Grossmont College student center and administration building.
Those projects were highlighted in the annual report of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, a group of 11 residents charged with monitoring bond funds approved by East County voters with the passage of Proposition R in November 2002. The oversight committee reviews and reports on district spending of construction monies and provides a public accounting of the district’s compliance with legal requirements.
“When you look at how the building programs of other college districts have been portrayed, I’m proud of everything the citizens’ oversight committee has done to ensure accountability in how construction funds for our projects has been spent,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
Ron Asbury, chair of the committee, noted that financial audits of the construction bond money came out clean, with no adverse findings for the eighth year in a row.
“These continual unqualified audit opinions reflect the district’s sound fiscal administration of the East County voter-approved Prop. R funds,” Asbury said.
The $35 million Health and Sciences Complex opened for Grossmont College’s fall 2010 semester with facilities for the health professions, forensic technology and physics programs. The $28 million Business and Technology building at Cuyamaca offers a state-of-the-art computer lab and classes for paralegal studies, graphic design, real estate economics and business office technology.
The $4.1 million expansion of the Library Resource Center was completed in time for the start of spring semester at Cuyamaca College and provides additional space for instructional support services and a high-tech center for Disabled Student Services.
“Our campuses have been transformed as a result of projects funded by Prop R,” said Bill Garrett, president of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District board of trustees. “We welcome the oversight by the citizens’ committee so that taxpayers know their money isn’t being wasted.”
The report noted that the work on renovating the Grossmont College Griffin Center/Student and Administrative Building has been environmentally friendly. The district is working with a team of design and construction professionals to seek Silver certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), indicating that green building practices have been used during construction.
As an example of the district’s environmental efforts, 81 percent of the 194 waste containers hauled off from the site were diverted for recycling. The recycled debris included metal, aluminum, concrete, stucco and copper.
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Preceding provided by Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District
