Updates on College of the Desert Bond-Funded Projects

Trustees Shine Light on Bond-Funded College of the Desert Projects and Pledge Community Updates

Palm Springs (January 25, 2022) – Members of the College of the Desert Board of Trustees reaffirmed their commitment to an open and transparent process for all upcoming decisions related to expansion, repair, and modernization projects funded by publicly approved bond measures.

At their Board meeting on January 21, 2022, Trustees confirmed their support for building a new Palm Springs campus and Roadrunner Motors, which will provide education, training, and a job pipeline for College of the Desert students.

Trustees stated an interest in visiting city council meetings in their districts and provide updates to their constituents about improvements slated for the College’s campuses in Palm Desert, Cathedral City, Mecca/Thermal, Palm Springs, and Desert Hot Springs and sites in other communities.

“We are dedicated to providing the latest information to our constituents about the use of public funds to improve educational facilities at College of the Desert across the Coachella Valley,” Board Chair Rubén AríAztlán Pérez said.

Board members will meet regularly with the College’s counsel and staff to ensure that projects continue to move forward and funds are spent responsibly.

Coachella Valley voters passed Measure B in 2004 and Measure CC in 2016, which together provided $924.3 million for improvements to meet curriculum and community needs. The facilities and programs enable the College to continue providing a first-rate education.

Among the projects reviewed was a status update on Roadrunner Motors. Currently, staff are studying various alternative sites for Roadrunner Motors. The Board will consider three locations, including the original site, and choose the final space in an open meeting later this year.

The Board also heard plans for the Palm Springs campus, which is about one-third of the way through schematic design. Due to increased materials and labor costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, construction will likely commence in a phased approach. In the meantime, College leadership is developing a district-wide total cost of ownership plan and will hire a consultant to validate a master plan study from 2016. Following those steps will be input from faculty, staff, student advisory groups, and others.

“Faculty involvement, feedback on the plans and a robust assessment of community needs are fundamental to a successful design process and will result in the best educational services to our students and community,” said Superintendent/President Martha Garcia, Ed.D.

Other bond projects slated for 2023 and 2024 include an expansion and renovation of the campus in Indio and the addition of a child development center, an overhaul of the science building on the Palm Desert campus, along with improvement of the athletic stadium and fields. These projects are on track to be completed on time.

A meeting recap is available on College of the Desert’s YouTube channel  Additional information is available at collegeofthedesert.edu.