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By 2027 students in South County San Diego County will be able to earn eight different bachelor’s degrees from three public universities while enrolled in the new Chula Vista University. That’s before it even has a campus.
The university, which opens for class next year, promises a novel approach to higher education, as a hybrid institution with programs from San Diego State, Cal State San Marcos, UC San Diego and Southwestern College.
It’s part of a long-awaited plan to bring a four-year campus to the city of Chula Vista. City officials have pursued that goal for decades, seeking state support and buying land for an eventual campus. Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat from the community, made it his top priority when he was elected in 2022.
“South County has long been considered a college desert," Alvarez said at a town hall meeting on the project Saturday. “This is one of the most diverse, fastest growing parts of the state, yet it has been underserved in regards to higher education."
Chula Vista introduced its vision for the campus as part of its city plan in 1993, Alvarez said. In 2006 California education leaders and local officials proposed building a combined university and research park, so students could live, learn and ultimately work in their own community.
By 2014 the city acquired 383 acres of land for...