The second forum to discuss plans for Gavilan College’s
satellite campus in San Benito County will be held tonight, with a
deeper look at desired programs and amenities at the school.
The second forum to discuss plans for Gavilan College’s satellite campus in San Benito County will be held tonight, with a deeper look at desired programs and amenities at the school.
Although Hollister’s Gavilan campus is still more than a decade from becoming a reality, the college officials are in the beginning stages of looking at the community’s needs and desires for the satellite location. Tonight’s meeting is the second in a series of forums being held to discuss plans for the community college.
“It’s not site specific so the things decided through this meeting will eventually work,” said Jan Bernstein Chargin, spokeswoman for Gavilan College.
The meetings will be held while the location – tentatively planned for the corner of Airline Highway and Fairview Road – goes through due diligence. During this process, Gavilan officials are analyzing this parcel for water, sewage, seismic and traffic issues.
The first meeting, held in late September, drew about 60 people. There, broad ideas for the campus’ programs, site layout and amenities available to the public were brainstormed and voted on.
Popular ideas included a strong focus on technical programs, an environmentally friendly campus and a good reputation for transferring to four-year university programs.
At tonight’s meeting, those in attendance will break into small groups to develop the recurring ideas for the campus.
Bernstein Chargin said she is hoping for a large turnout so there is a breadth of ideas for the new campus. There will be a Spanish translator at the meeting, she said.
“It’s for the whole community,” she said. “We’re talking about what we want to be made available for our children and for our grandchildren.”
Gavilan College is planning to develop a full-service campus in San Benito County in the next 20 to 30 years. Its location, an 80-acre plot across from Ridgemark, was approved by Gavilan’s board of trustees in May.
