CSUSB's Palm Desert Campus Expands

California State University, San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus is set to increase in size by over 100 acres. The approval of a land transfer of an additional 113 acres to the campus from the city of Palm Desert, approved by the Palm Desert City Council on Jan. 8, was approved by the Cal State University Board of Trustees later that month on Jan. 28. Currently, the Palm Desert campus resides on 53 acres of land along Cook Street. The additional land adjoins the current campus and borders Frank Sinatra and Gerald Ford drives. Cal State San Bernardino President Tomás D. Morales said, "This is wonderful news for all the Coachella Valley and its students... The city’s long-term commitment has made possible a permanent home for the Coachella Valley’s only four-year public university, as well as support for current and future generations of the Valley’s students.” Currently, the Palm Desert campus has about 1,100 students enrolled in bachelors, masters and doctoral programs. The campus, which opened its doors in 2002, is currently comprised of four buildings: the Mary Stuart Rogers Gateway Building, the Indian Wells Center for Educational Excellence, the Indian Wells Theater and the Palm Desert Health Sciences Building. In 2013, the campus's first freshman class made the campus the region's only four-year university. Palm Desert Mayor Susan Marie Weber said the land will help bring educational access to the region. “A larger campus will bring greater access to higher education for Coachella Valley residents, spur regional economic growth and help develop our greatest asset: the minds of the students who attend this wonderful center of learning and culture,” Weber said. A comprehensive physical master plan of the expanded campus will be conducted to plan for the next phases of grown, shared Palm Desert Campus Dean Sharon Brown-Welty. “We will focus on building a university community that can serve and grow with the region for decades to come. None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support of our host city as well as friends and philanthropists in the community. We are forever grateful.” Brown-Welty said.