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STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE IN THE REGION PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Chula Vista is the second largest city in the County of San Diego with a population of 277,220,
60.3% of whom are Hispanic or Latino ( Census 2020). The South Area of San Diego County has approximately 620,000 residents,57% of whom are Hispanic or Latino (SANDAG 2020 est). Chula Vista is the only city in California with a population greater than 200,000 r esidents that does not have a state university within its city limits. South San Diego County has no public or private four-year university.
Past University Studies and Land Planning Efforts
The City of Chula Vista has a strategic, long-term vision to develop a University-Innovation District on city-owned land to serve Chula Vista and the entire South Bay region and has taken actionable steps to turn the vision into a reality.
1993- Otay Ranch General Development Plan was adopted with the University vision. 2001- City acquires first 140 acres of land.
2005- City’s General Plan to guide development through 2030 was adopted with a multi- institutional university vision.
2008-2014- Through a combination of Land Offer Agreements, land exchanges and agreements with developers, the City completed acquisition of 383 acres of land in December 2014.
2018- University-Innovation District Sectional Planning Area Plan, Environmental Impact Report and related technical documents are adopted, completing entitlements for the city-owned site, and making it possible to enter into agreements with university partners.
During this same period, the City of Chula Vista engaged in a number of studies to determine what type of university(ies) would be the best fit for the university site from a land use and economic development perspective.
2006 - University Park and Research Study. Prospectus: Creating a Binational Collaborative for Higher Education, Research, and Technology Prepared by STRATUS, BMS Design Group and EIP Associated, this study analyzed opportunities in relation to the Chula Vista university land’s proximity to the Baja region and proposed Research Park. Academic programming was not addressed other than by
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identifying the growing occupations in San Diego County and Baja. The result of this study included recommended strategies and framework for physical development, financing, and governance geared toward activating the university land for a collaborative, binational university center and university research park. 2010 - Chula Vista Postsecondary Institution Study
Prepared by the University of San Diego Center for Edu cation Policy and Law, this study analyzed the need for an institution of higher education in Chula Vista and the protocols and processes for establishing a new university; identified financial considerations and recommendations for the best type of univer sity. This study concluded with two recommendations: (1) Identify the needs of the community through surveys, focused group sessions, and individual interviews to gauge the student enrollment potential within the South Bay and broader region and its implic ations for a new postsecondary institution, and (2) Establish a broad-based community participation process for securing and subsequently sustaining the desired postsecondary institution in Chula Vista that is feasible in the short term and may be expanded in the long term. 2016 - Chula Vista University and Innovation District Report Prepared by U3 Advisors, the study identified a multi -phase process to attract a higher education institutional partner and prospective funding sources to develop the city’s University and Innovation District (UID). It concluded with a documented first phase needed for future work in the active recruitment process.
Past studies resulted in the vision of the City Council to develop a binational, multi -institutional university to serve Chula Vista, South Bay and the region. The next component of planning efforts will be the identification and prioritization of degree programs th at best meet the educational needs of the region’s future workforce and the active engagement and inclusion of academic program leaders (faculty).
Project Urgency
With a master development plan in the works, and the professional expertise from legal and real estate partners, the city is on the precipice of a robust campaign with the assistance of CBRE to market the University and Innovation District to recruit eligible university institutions and industry partners to implement the UID. CBRE also will leverage their network of occupiers, along with higher education, life sciences and tech relationships to ensure the Innovation District will be marketed to both local firms looking to relocate or add additional space, and national/international firms looking t o enter the Chula Vista market or expand their current presence.
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The city is poised for significant growth in housing over the next 20 years, and what has been missing from this growth is a robust work center that will spur economic growth. Establishing a thriving higher education ecosystem will build the human capital needed to attract businesses, while also creating jobs for local residents.
Now is the time to ensure the implementation of the UID and related planning efforts result in measurable action t hat will expand higher education access for Chula Vista residents and the entire South Bay region.
Project’s Scope of Work
Building on the recommendations of the 2016 Chula Vista University and Innovation District Report, this study seeks to complete the academic planning efforts by fully implementing the recommended four planning phases ( Research, Identify, Evaluate, Recommend ), while emphasizing workforce and academic program mapping. The intent is to identify instructional programs that support the region’s current and future workforce needs by way of an intentional engagement/inclusion with regional educational systems serving South County students and ensuring that instructional programming and university partnerships meet the needs of students and families. An additional outcome of this study is a white paper that uses the project’s findings to inform specific legislative and funding actions needed for successful university recruitment.
This work will be a partnership between the City of Chula Vista and Southwestern Community College District, the only public institution of higher education in South County. A higher education planning committee will be convened to inform the work.
Higher Education Planning Committee
Convene education, public sector, industry/civic experts, philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations to assess and identify strategies to strengthen the pipeline from higher education to the workforce. Co-conveners: City of Chula Vist a and Southwestern Community College District.
1. RESEARCH
1.1. Complete a degree program and university mapping research project
1.1.1. Conduct a workforce needs assessment drawing on analyses of Bureau of Labor Statistics data on projected job openings for the region, existing regional workforce studies, as well as interviews and a survey of business owners and major employers.
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1.1.2. Identify high-demand degree programs that prepare South County for the regional workforce. This educational program needs assessment will include an evaluation of the current community college and university degree offerings, drawing on IPEDS, SWC surveys, and LaunchBoard data and identify gaps that could be fulfilled by new university programming and facilities in South County.
1.1.3. Assess resident educational interests based on Workforce Partnership and unemployment insurance data.
1.2. Conduct a survey of South County residents to get a clear picture of residents’ financial situations, their perspectives on education and the job market, and their challenges and opportunities.
1.2.1. The survey will also reveal the distribution of these features across demographics within South County and how South County residents’ perspectives and experiences compare to those of other county residents.
1.3. Conduct academic research that identifies the scope of support services required for South County students to ensure a strong pathway to degree completion and matriculation into the region's future workforce.
1.4. Map identified local priority degree programs and jobs to existing California State University, University of California, or other university system’s programs with need for expansion.
1.4.1. Establish a crosswalk between community college and public or nonprofit universities that offer the identified priority degree programs as part of their curriculum.
1.4.2. Produce a list of impacted majors within existing public and non -profit universities that overlap with South County’s priority degree program areas and workforce needs. The list may be used as a blueprint in support of the development of a university in Chula Vista or satellite campuses within South County that would serve the dual purpose of alleviating the impaction of programs for university partners within their existing physical capacity as well as bringing much -needed four -year (and possibly graduate) programs to the region.
1.4.3. Produce a list of priority degree programs. From this list then identify those that do not exist in, and do not compete with, CSU and UC programs in the region.
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2. IDENTIFY
2.1. Using research findings, develop a list of universities with degree programs that meet the region’s workforce needs and require increased capacity/space to grow.
2.1.1. Present research findings at stakeholder sessions to gather feedback.
2.2. Using research findings, and in partnership with Southwestern College faculty, the California Community College Baccalaureate Associa tion (CCCBA), and other university faculty, develop a list of potential baccalaureate programs in the context of the identified regional workforce shortage.
2.2.1. Identify capacity and physical space required to increase the number of graduates for identi fied priority degree programs in support of City’s university recruitment efforts and to strengthen the college’s transfer pathways.
3. EVALUATE
3.1. In partnership with the City of Chula Vista and faculty, assess community college/city (i.e. Philadel phia/CC of Philadelphia) exemplary models and community college/university exemplary models (i.e. Bronx CC/SUNY).
3.2. In partnership with the City of Chula Vista, rigorously analyze and vet prospective university degree programs based on site visits, institutional and faculty interest, and funding mechanisms.
4. RECOMMEND
4.1. Develop a final report with recommendations on university program recruitment and strategies to increase access to higher education programming and access in Chula Vista.
4.2. Develop a white paper for the San Diego legislative delegation with policy and funding recommendations that will support the development of a four -year, accredited university that will expand access to higher education for Chula Vista and the entire region.