CITY OF MENIFEE
SUBJECT: Southwestern Riverside County Higher Education Coalition MEETING DATE: March 6, 2024
TO: Mayor and City Council
PREPARED BY: Gina Gonzalez, Economic Development Director REVIEWED BY: Rebekah Kramer, Assistant to the City Manager APPROVED BY: Armando G. Villa, City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Appointment of the City of Menifee’s 2024 Southwest Elected Collaborative Group representatives to the Southwestern Riverside County Higher Education Coalition in keeping with City Council Policy No.2; and
2. Adopt a resolution acknowledging the need for expanded public higher education institutions within southwestern Riverside County and funding for the cost of tenant improvements to create an expanded presence for California State University San Marcos at the Mt. San Jacinto College campus in Temecula.
DISCUSSION
Higher educational attainment levels are directly associated with business and retail attraction, increased access to higher paying jobs, social mobility, and improved quality of life with reductions in student and workforce commuting to other regions for employment. Recognizing the important role higher education plays with the long-term sustainability of our region, stakeholders have come together as part of the Southwestern Riverside County Higher Education Coalition (“Coalition”) to explore how to expand access to higher education in the region.
The Coalition has grown out of the broader Southwest Elected Collaborative Group on which Councilmember Sobek and Mayor Zimmerman are serving as the City of Menifee’s elected representatives. The Coalition board includes stakeholder representatives from throughout the region including the County of Riverside, cities, water agencies, school districts, Mt. San Jacinto College (“MSJC”), and healthcare partners. Councilmember Sobek was recently nominated to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Coalition Board.
In keeping with the City’s Legislative Platform and Strategic Plan objective to partner with higher education institutions and other stakeholders to create workforce development programs that
City of Menifee Staff Report
Southwestern Riverside County Higher Education Coalition March 6, 2024
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support the training and education of workers and business development, city staff and elected representatives are working in collaboration with coalition members to identify and address higher education institutional needs in Southwest Riverside County. Given that the Coalition has grown out of the broader Southwest Elected Collaborative Group with the specific purpose of advocating for the expansion of higher education opportunities in Southwest Riverside County, there is a need to appoint a Menifee City Council representative and alternate to serve as part of the Coalition on behalf of the city. For continuity purposes, based upon the Coalition’s relationship to the Southwest Elected Collaborative Group, it is recommended that Councilmember Sobek serve as the City’s appointed representative on the Coalition with Mayor Zimmerman serving as the alternate representative.
Knowing the need for added University presence in the region, the Coalition is working on attracting and supporting higher educational attainment opportunities. This includes, but is not limited to, obtaining support for the expansion of California State University San Marcos with the addition of a Temecula Valley campus. Cal State San Marcos estimates 4,000 students from the Temecula Valley are enrolled in the University. The MSJC campus in Temecula has available space to accommodate Cal State San Marcos's current needs. The estimated cost of the tenant improvements required to support the campus expansion which will be completed in phases is $18 million. Phase one of the project includes tenant improvements to support nursing, business administration, and computer engineering degree program courses at an estimated cost of $11 million. The Coalition is seeking support from stakeholders in our region through the adoption of the attached resolution to be used as leverage in securing outside funding for the required MSJC Temecula Valley campus improvements.
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVE
Thriving Economy
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution