South Bay leaders will gather Friday to announce a new study intended to identify the academic programming needed to bring a four-year university to Chula Vista.
Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, Assemblyman David Alvarez, and Southwestern College Board President Roberto Alcantar will also sign a "collaborative agreement solidifying their commitment to bringing a four-year university to Chula Vista and addressing the educational needs of the community," on Friday.
According to a statement regarding the event, "Chula Vista is the only city of its size that does not have a public university and students often endure lengthy commutes, sometimes exceeding an hour, to reach institutions like University of California San Diego or San Diego State University."
The study and collaborative efforts to bring a four-year university to the South Bay are the culmination of years of efforts.
From 2001 to 2015, Chula Vista assembled and acquired 383 acres of land for the University-Innovation District and in 2018, completed land entitlements. Assembly Bill 837 — authored by Assemblyman Alvarez — is intended to ensure the land is exempted from the Surplus Land Act securing its use for university and innovation purposes.
