海角社区

CI Breaks Ground on Sierra Hall

CI President Richard Rush, faculty, staff, students and community friends gathered on March 14 to celebrate a significant milestone in CI鈥檚 continued expansion, a groundbreaking for Sierra Hall. The event included comments from President Rush, Ventura County Supervisor Kathy Long, Academic Senate Chair Jeannie Greer and Student Body President Vanessa Bahena. Staff member and Chumash Elder and Vice Tribal Chair of the Chumash Barbare帽o-Venture帽o Band of Mission Indians Raudel Ba帽uelos offered a traditional ceremonial blessing.

A three-story, cutting-edge science lab and instruction building, Sierra Hall will house CI鈥檚 growing programs in Anthropology, Computer Science, Geology, Environmental Science & Resource Management (ESRM), Physics, and Psychology. The 68,000-square-foot structure, located at the corner of Los Angeles Avenue and Ventura Street, includes indoor and outdoor learning areas. Designed in accord with sustainability practices, it will serve as a model for green technology.

President Rush began his presentation by thanking representatives from the external community for their support of the $42.7 million project鈥攆unded by lease revenue bonds. 鈥淥ur community is essential to our growth and success,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have been a public/private partnership since the beginning and would not have what we have otherwise. I thank you all for your steadfast support.鈥�

County Supervisor Long, an advocate of the University for more than 10 years, echoed this sentiment by saying, 鈥淭he public has truly embraced this campus.鈥� Reflecting back on how CI has evolved in terms of size and success, she noted, 鈥淏uilding by building, the vision is working.鈥�

Sierra Hall continues CI鈥檚 forward momentum in a variety of ways. 鈥淚t will completely change how we teach,鈥� said Colleen Delaney, Associate Professor of Anthropology. 鈥淥ur program will be more holistic. We鈥檒l be able to offer hands-on learning, and students can participate in independent lab studies. This improves their ability to get hired directly after or even before graduation.鈥�

Associate Provost Dan Wakelee commented about the academic and social benefits of the new building. 鈥淪ierra Hall will increase quality of education by providing learning spaces that are better suited for these disciplines,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ierra Hall鈥檚 location on the Central Mall also will help unite separate parts of the University and contribute to a more energized, engaged campus.鈥�

Don Rodriguez, Professor and Chair of the University鈥檚 ESRM program, said Sierra Hall reflects the depth of CI鈥檚 commitment to environmental stewardship. 鈥淚nstitutes of higher education have the obligation to prepare students for the world they are inheriting,鈥� he noted. 鈥淓lements of sustainability will be inherent in every decision this generation makes. This new building will allow us to integrate sustainability across the curriculum.鈥�

Student Body President Vanessa Bahena praised President Rush and faculty members for their collaborative approach to the project and other campus decisions. 鈥淥ne thing that sets Channel Islands apart is the amount of student involvement,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are part of the legacy. This is our University.鈥�

President Rush smiled as he glanced across the Mall. 鈥淲e鈥檝e waited three years for this day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t will be a beautiful structure and another indicator that we are realizing our dream.鈥�

Sierra Hall is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2015.