For over eighty years, College of the Sequoias has helped local residents receive career training ranging from nursing and law enforcement to architecture, prepare for transfer to a four-year university, and enhance their lives through life-long learning.
Every improvement to the campus has been funded by the State of California, but we can no longer count on the state to fund the expansions and repairs our aging campus needs. The money is either not available or requires a local match, which the College cannot afford through the regular budget.
The COS Board of Trustees has approved a bond for the November 4 ballot. This bond will fund much-needed improvements so that the College can continue to be an affordable, accessible source of quality education and career training today, and in the future.
With this bond funding, COS will be able to afford the local match, bringing huge investments of State funds to our college campus. The Friends of COS in Support of Measure I Bond will make the following improvements possible:
Fund nursing technology and equipment for the new Allied Health Building. Currently, COS trains almost 75 percent of all the nurses working in the areas medical facilities.
Provide state-of-the-art computers and other technology so our students receive workplace relevant training and to enhance distance learning options.
Support much-needed security upgrades to the campus including additional code blue emergency phones and exterior lighting.
Finance the required $5.5 million local match so we can receive $12.5 million in state funds for the modernization of the instructional buildings which house the social science, language arts and business/computer classrooms. Without the match, this $12.5 million will go to another community college.
Pay the remaining $4.3 million for the Science Building.
Construct future parking facilities to meet long-term needs.
Acquire the remaining property south to Tulare Avenue for future growth.
Lease classroom space for use by the Health Professions Continuing Education program.
Qualify COS for $1.2 million in state matching funds for upgrades and repairs ranging from roofs to plumbing. This money will otherwise be lost to other colleges.
Invest in energy-efficiency technology that will save as much as $100,000 annually.
Renovate the COS Theatre and replace or repair original, aging 1970s equipment.
Fund the required local match of $1.3 million for the new gym, so we can receive $14.4 million in state money. These state funds will otherwise go to another college.
Strict accountability provisions, independent audits and citizen oversight of all spending to ensure that every dollar raised by this bond will be spent efficiently and only on the identified projects. By law, no funds raised may be taken by the state or spent on administrative salaries.
Other benefits to the community include:
Generation of over $75 million in local construction projects which will create local jobs and boost the local economy.