This column first appeared in the Herald/Review on Sunday, June 20.
The Cochise College Center for Economic Research recently published a report about the economic impact of the construction work that has taken place at the college’s campuses and centers during the past several years. The report paints a flattering picture, with $87.3 million in economic activity over a four-year period and, in 2009, 313 jobs created and the lowest county unemployment rate in the state. (Click to see the report.)
Although county residents opposed a bond issue to fund the construction in 2006, the college believed strongly that enhancements were necessary and revised the plan to re-focus on the most pressing needs without impacting the property tax rate. Rather than maintain the status quo, the college recognized that the economic downturn was a time to take steps to position itself for the future. Needless to say, moving forward was a monumental decision.
If you haven’t already had the chance, I encourage you to visit our campuses to see just how far we’ve come. While it’s satisfying to know that the economic activities related to college construction projects since 2006 has had a positive impact on Cochise County, we take even greater pride in the outcome for students.
First and foremost, the construction work has resulted in greatly enhanced learning environments, which is critically important when you’re working with students to provide a place for them to learn, study, explore, recreate and do things together and with faculty and staff. When students and visitors arrive on the Sierra Vista Campus today, they want to go in the Learning Commons to use the computer labs or to study with a group of friends at the snack bar in the Student Union. These places are inviting. They have become destinations and were created to enhance the college experience. At the Douglas Campus, students are now learning in science and technology labs that are on par with those at other colleges and universities, and we have more students registered to live in the residence halls at this point in the year than we have in the past. And in Willcox, students, staff and the community alike are anxiously awaiting the opening of a new center that provides improved classroom and community amenities and resembles the user-friendly facility we already have in Benson.
Investing in our campuses during an economic downturn has allowed us to save money and create some things that otherwise may not have been possible, such as a fitness facility on the Sierra Vista Campus that will open for classes in time for the fall semester.
This is not to say our construction work is done. Our master facilities planning continues, as we are already running out of space, particularly in Sierra Vista. We have some exciting new programs, enrollment is up, and some things that have been offered off campus in the past are being more strongly embraced by the college now that they are located at our facilities.
What I’m saying is that while, yes, the CER report positively portrays the economic impact of master facilities plan construction, what we at the college value most is the way the work has given our students a vibrant learning environment and positioned the college for future growth and the challenges ahead. We look forward to continuing on this journey and to finding new ways to engage students and the community in the higher education opportunities that are so valuable here in Cochise County.
Dr. J.D. Rottweiler is president of Cochise College. Contact him at jdr@cochise.edu.
Click here to see the Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review article “Study shows how Cochise College building boom has helped save jobs,” by Adam Curtis.