SDSU’s 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision to be Reviewed in November

CSU Trustees are expected to consider certifying the Environmental Impact Report and approving the 2007 Campus Master Plan revision at their November meeting

Contact:
Jack Beresford
Assistant Vice President, Marketing & Communications
San Diego State University
(619) 594-2448 office
jack.beresford@sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO – (Friday, September 7, 2007) — San Diego State University today announced that the date for the California State University Board of Trustees hearing for its 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision has been changed due to its ongoing negotiations with affected public agencies, and in response to a request of the City of San Diego.  The plan will now be reviewed by the CSU Board of Trustees at their regularly scheduled meeting on November 13 and 14, 2007.

In September 2005, the CSU Board of Trustees unanimously approved the SDSU 2005  Campus Master Plan Revision, but a California Supreme Court decision in April 2006 - City of Marina v. CSU Monterey Bay - required the CSU Board of Trustees to decertify the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the SDSU plan and set aside its approval. The court decision encourages that CSU negotiate with impacted jurisdictions regarding its fair-share of the costs of mitigations for off-site impacts resulting from university development, and it also requires that CSU seek funding for its fair-share amount from the state Legislature.  This decision applies to the entire California State University system, including San Diego State University.

The City of Marina case and its mitigation requirements are the primary reason SDSU prepared a new EIR and is seeking approval for its 2007 Campus Master Plan Revision.  SDSU initiated the public environmental review process earlier in the year and, in furtherance of the mitigation obligations established by the City of Marina case, has been negotiating with affected public agencies regarding its fair share contribution towards public infrastructure improvements made necessary by potential significant impacts of the Master Plan Revision. 

Negotiations with the City of San Diego, and other affected public agencies, are ongoing at this time. In order to facilitate the conclusion of these negotiations, and in response to a request by the City of San Diego, the decision has been made to defer release of the Final EIR until the negotiations have been concluded, and to continue the California State University Board of Trustees' consideration of the Master Plan Revision to the November 2007 meeting.

The 2007 Campus Master Plan revision is a comprehensive plan that will allow SDSU to provide increased academic space, student housing and services, and faculty housing to meet growing student demand. It is expected to increase SDSU’s enrollment capacity from 25,000 full-time equivalent students to 35,000 over the next two decades.  It will also enable the university to achieve its share of the state mandated growth and ensures the state will have the benefit of an educated professional workforce.

For more information on SDSU’s 2007 Campus Master Plan revision and the anticipated timeline of the review process visit SDSU’s website at www.sdsu.edu/masterplan.

San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the university has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 81 areas, master's degrees in 73 areas and doctorates in 16 areas. SDSU's approximately 35,000 students participate in an academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with faculty and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.

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