Expansion of Mission College Urged
L.A. Times 2/3/00

By HECTOR BECERRA, Times Staff Writer

SYLMAR--Mission College's interim president
called Wednesday for expanding the 22-acre campus
into adjoining parkland owned by Los Angeles County.

Thomas Oliver told the Los Angeles Community
College District Board of Trustees he had the support
of county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to build joint
college and community recreational facilities at the
county-owned El Cariso Regional Park and Golf
Course.
In an interview later, Yaroslavsky said he had no
problem with joint recreational facilities as long as the
college pays for them.
The supervisor, however, said he was baffled as to
why the college would want to focus on recreational
growth when its academic needs were so desperate.
"Money from the Legislature is hard to come by,"
Yaroslavsky said. "And we're not going to pay for
these things."
Oliver proposed building gymnasiums and fitness
centers for mutual use on the parkland, as well as
expanding county parking lots for college use.
The interim president also proposed developing
college property in the Pacoima Wash into "high tech"
soccer fields for use by all. Shower facilities, which
don't exist at Mission College, could also be built,
Oliver said.
Oliver said college officials and some politicians
took the wrong tack in the past by expecting the county
to simply cede land.
"The park belongs to the community," Oliver said.
"Originally, our attitude may have been perceived as
'let's take over the park. . . .' We need to create
facilities that the surrounding community and the college
community can both use."
Mission College features one of the city's more
modern and picturesque campuses. But it also serves
one of the Valley's poorest areas with overcrowded
conditions and a dearth of classes.
The campus has the fastest-growing enrollment in
the L.A. Community College District.
Mission College spends less per student, has a
lower percentage of full-time teachers and fewer
upper-level courses than any other college in the
district. Meanwhile, it has sacrificed some of the things
that for many define the college experience--such as
athletics or a student newspaper.
Oliver's plan would supplement existing efforts to
construct four buildings within the current Mission
College site. Oliver said he would formalize the plan
and give it "in writing" to both the trustees and
Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Mission College,
as early as next week.
Previous attempts by college officials to acquire
county land for expansion have been stymied by
supervisors' reluctance to part with parkland that serves
the surrounding community.
Consequently, Mission College officials have seen
state building funds dissolve after missing spending
deadlines.
Prior Mission College advances into county territory
were met by angry equestrians, hang-gliders, golfers
and youth baseball fans who use the park facilities and
who complained to the Board of Supervisors.
Trustees made no immediate comment at the
meeting, but earlier, board President Kelly Candaele
said the board is moving to reach a consensus.
"In terms of the broader philosophical question,
we're all on the same page," Candaele said. "We
disagree on some of the details and some of the
strategies."
For students such as Rosanna Rodriguez, 20, any
and all expansion sounds good.
"Crowded classrooms, crowded lines. Sometimes I
don't even want to line up for class," she said.
Psychology student Jackie DeSantiago, 24, said
harried financial aid office staff members have made her
cry by taking their frustrations out on her.
"There's so much pressure on them to deal with so
many students, they'll mistreat you in a crunch," she
said.
State Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar) said he
supports expanding the campus but noted that the idea
had been kicked around in the past and nothing came
of it.
The expansion is also backed by Assemblyman
Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar) and Los Angeles
Councilman Alex Padilla of Pacoima and a group called
the Valley Coalition for a Responsible Community
College District.