With a record fall enrollment of 6,181 students, campus expansion is on the minds of Mesa State's students, faculty, administration and Board of Trustees.

Built to accommodate the smaller student bodies of years past, the main campus facilities are now being stretched to their maximum capacities. This is not just limited to a few buildings, but, instead, is a campus-wide reality. The highly utilized Campbell College Center was built in 1960 with a 2,000 member student body in mind. All four residence halls are at full capacity with additional students on a waiting list. Classroom space in the academic buildings, several of which date back to 1935, is at capacity 83 percent of the time, based on Colorado Commission on Higher Education guidelines.

This year, the College has managed its record enrollment by adding sections of high-demand classes, including lower level English and mathematics courses. However, with classroom space at a premium, Mesa State, the region's designated education provider, needs to expand to meet western Colorado's growing demand for higher education opportunities.

To this end, the Board of Trustees and President Foster have made campus expansion a priority. Their efforts are building upon those of their predecessors who predicted that campus expansion would one day become a necessity. First conceptualized in the 1970's, the original campus expansion plan provided the framework and basic premise for the current proposal. With Orchard Avenue, 12th Street and North Street bordering three sides of the main campus, both plans identify the need for Mesa State to grow west into the existing residential neighborhood. Today's plan, which is still being refined, calls for this growth to occur in several phases over the next 5-10 years.

The initial phase includes a land acquisition project, which has been underway since 1999. With the assistance of the Mesa State College Foundation, city and county officials, community organizations and private donors, the College has purchased a number of homes that line its current borders. As funds become available, the College will continue to acquire properties and expand its border west to Cannell Avenue.

Mesa State will also approach Grand Junction officials this fall for permission to close streets and alleys where the College owns property on both sides of the street. The plan includes vacating Elm Avenue from College Place to 12th Street and College Place from North Avenue to the existing Bergman Field. Mesa State would also like to turn College Place into a one-way parking lot the length of the campus. This would add approximately 100 parking spots. Closing Elm Avenue would pave the way for remodeling and expanding the College Center to the north.

Subsequent expansion phases include the demolition of existing structures and combining individual lots, streets and alleys into one parcel. This consolidated land would then become available for the construction of temporary parking lots and green spaces and provide sites for significant building projects. Needed facilities include an additional academic building, a new residence hall and expanded athletic fields. Student representatives have also asked College officials for a new or expanded student center.
While the initial phase of the campus expansion project is already underway, the College continues to meet with its constituents to gather their opinions and to gauge their support of the overall plan. This has included presentations to city and county officials, as well as community forums with the College's residential neighbors. Initial feedback has been primarily positive with most stakeholders acknowledging the need for campus growth. In addition, their concerns and suggestions are being noted and strongly considered as the expansion project progresses.

This continued constituent involvement and support will be essential as the College prepares to raise funds for the project. With state funding of public higher education at a 20 year low, financial support for Mesa State's expansion will need to come from other sources - namely alums, businesses, service organizations and local government agencies. However, President Foster and the Board of Trustees have said that they believe these supporters recognize the benefits of an expanded campus and will join with the College in making educational opportunities available for all of western Colorado's citizens.