Landmark Chula Vista University Legislation Signed by the Governor

• Chris Jonsmyr
• Communications Director
• (619) 498-8580
• [email protected]

Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) announced that Assembly Bill 662 -The Chula Vista University Act - has been signed into law. AB 662 establishes the South County Higher Education Task Force, creating a collaborative body that will bring together the University of California, California State University, CA Community Colleges, the City of Chula Vista, Sweetwater Union High School District and other stakeholders to evaluate the governance models, funding mechanisms, and statutory changes required for creating a four-year public university in South San Diego County.

"This legislation is about breaking cycles and building futures," said Assemblymember Alvarez. "For too long, South County has been denied the opportunities that come with higher education access. AB 662 lays the groundwork to bring a world-class university to Chula Vista-fueling upward mobility, innovation, and economic strength for generations to come."

Chula Vista is the second-largest city in San Diego County, with a population exceeding 250,000, and the largest city in California without a public university offering baccalaureate degree programs. Nearly 600,000 residents in South County are without this access, an area that is commonly referred to as a "college desert."

To address this disparity, the City of Chula Vista has taken proactive steps by initiating the development of a University Innovation District on over 383 acres of city-owned land. This ambitious project envisions a bi-national, multi-institutional hub for higher education and innovation that includes collaboration with the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges (CCC) systems.

"The City of Chula Vista is thrilled that Governor Newsom has signed AB 662 into law, marking a historic moment for our community and bringing us closer to a public university in South County," said Mayor John McCann. "With this legislation, we can continue our work on the University Innovation District-expanding access to higher education, creating opportunities for local students, and strengthening South County's future."

The South County Higher Education Task Force will be responsible for:

• Evaluating cross-sector collaboration and governance frameworks;
  • Identifying new and existing funding sources for construction and operations;
  • Recommending legislative solutions to remove barriers to institutional innovation; and
  • Submitting a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by July 1, 2027.

The signing of AB 662 builds on years of momentum led by Assemblymember Alvarez to expand higher education access in South County. The following timeline includes key legislative milestones and upcoming academic programs that have laid the foundation for a public university in Chula Vista:

• AB 129 (2023): Authored by Alvarez, exempts the 383-acre site from the Surplus Land Act, streamlining university development.
• Alvarez secures $25 million in the state budget for the Millenia Library, which will host future educational and college programs, including the SDSU School of Nursing and Global Campus and Sweetwater Union High School District

• The University Now Initiative (UNI) launches, a partnership between Southwestern College, the City of Chula Vista, and the California State Legislature, backed by Alvarez, focusing on identifying priority academic programs to meet local workforce needs.

• The UNI White Paper is released, guiding academic program and partnership development. Subsequently, the UC and CSU systems release an Academic White Paper responding to Alvarez's requests for South County expansion.
• Site Tours Led by Alvarez: UCSD and SDSU leadership visit the future university site to explore expansion opportunities.
• $10M in total State Funding Secured: Alvarez delivers major investments for academic program expansion in South Bay. Funding provided for new baccalaureate programs which include UCSD's Public Health program, SDSU's School of Nursing (and doctorate in nursing), SDSU's Industrial/Organizational Psychology program. Additionally, CSU San Marco will be offering Business Administration, Computer Information Systems and Cyber Security baccalaureate programs in Fall 2026, followed by Human Development with emphasis on Wellness Coaching and Bilingual Speech Language Pathology in Fall 2027.

• $250,000 Secured: Assemblymember Alvarez successfully secured state funding to support the Task Force's formal planning and policy development efforts.

"A university education is here, a university campus is coming," concluded Alvarez.

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The 80th Assembly District includes the communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, Lincoln Acres, Bonita, Otay Mesa and San Ysidro, along with the cities of Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach.