Even with a population in the hundreds of thousands, San Diego's South Bay has only one public option for higher education: Southwestern College.
That’s where Chula Vista resident Faisal Alnajjar is studying dental hygiene.
Alnajjar earned bachelor’s degree in human biology from UC San Diego, roughly 20 miles north from his current campus.
“There was a lot of people that commuted from South Bay to UCSD. Now imagine telling them they can go to some classes 10 minutes from home instead of having to drive all the way up here,” the 27-year-old said.
The idea is becoming reality, starting with San Diego State University's new TV and film studio coming to Chula Vista.
Other institutions are now interested in making similar moves south, and more university expansions could be on the way.
“The South Bay is a vibrant, dynamic community with a lot of talent. And we want to make sure UC is at the table,” said UC regent and National City native Maria Anguiano.
She said the UC is starting to look at sites for a satellite campus in South Bay.
The city of Chula Vista set aside nearly 400 acres near Otay Ranch Town Center, with plans for a combined university and technology park.
“It's been a project that's been ongoing for over 30 years,” said the new mayor of Chula Vista, John McCann.
He told KPBS the proposal for the east Chula Vista site considers the greater needs of a university campus.
“We’re building around it to be able to make sure the campus has the infrastructure — has the housing, to be able to support the university,” McCann said.
While the city has set aside land for a university, Anguiano said the exact location for a South Bay UC expansion isn’t set in stone.
“Some campuses have huge room to grow. Others are going to grow in ways of creating satellite campuses, using opportunistic spaces, partnerships with community college campuses,” she said.
Wherever a new school goes, Alnajjar hopes the needs of local students are considered.
“Some might not have a car, some may not be able to afford the gas, some might not be able to afford the parking permit,” he said.
McCann said a university will lead to economic and binational growth for Chula Vista.
“You talk to almost anybody in the community, they're encouraging a university. And we want to make sure that our kids, our grandchildren have the opportunity to be able to go to college in Chula Vista,” the mayor said.
Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-80th Assembly District) represents most of the South Bay. He told KPBS many South County students end up studying and working outside of the region where they grew up, and said a university would keep them closer to home.
“So we have land, however what we need now is the investment to actually build,” Alvarez said.
A South Bay satellite campus can also help the UC system meet its goal of adding up to 33,000 more students by 2030.
“We have way too many students that are qualified that can't get in,” said UC Board of Regents chair Richard Leib.
Like Anguiano, he lives in San Diego County.
“We want to be able to provide education and access to those [students] because we know when someone goes to a University of California, they come out in a much better position,” Leib said.
The first step towards a UC expansion into South Bay is a tour of potential sites with UC San Diego chancellor Pradeep Khosla, who will ultimately have to make the proposal for a satellite campus. That tour is planned for the first quarter of 2023.
“I don't know how long it will take to actually have an open area — an open campus. But, I do know that the chancellor has made a commitment to us, that it's something that he definitely wants,” Leib said.
Southwestern College superintendent and president Mark Sanchez is looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with other institutions in South Bay.
“What has been missing is access to advanced degrees for our students,” Sanchez said.
He said Southwestern College brought some four-year degree opportunities to their Chula Vista campus in recent years.
They partnered with Point Loma Nazarene University in 2015 and San Diego State University’s Global Campus in 2020 to offer select bachelor’s degrees.
Sanchez said more is on the horizon.
“A new University Center is currently under construction on the Chula Vista campus (completion date — fall 2024) to expand the number of partner universities that can offer additional degrees to our residents,” the Southwestern College superintendent and president said.
Groundbreaking for SDSU’s new studio near the proposed Otay Ranch university site is expected to happen this year, and it's projected to formally open in 2025.
When classes start, that very well could be the first four-year university offering on-site classes in the South Bay.
Alvarez helped to secure funding for the project, and has big goals for the long-term future.
“Five, seven, 10 years after we've got several programs running, perhaps this becomes its own institution,” Alvarez said. “Because there's been growth, there's enough attraction there and we decide this should be a new state university of some sort.”
UCSD Alum Alnajjar has one request for universities that come to South County:
“It should really be modeled after what Southwestern has offered me — which is smaller classes, and a more intimate connection with the professor — like they actually know you,” he said.
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Governor Newsom’s proposed budget plan for 2023 into 2024 includes cuts to programs to close a projected $22.5 billion deficit.
