PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

Cuesta’s Quest

In what kind of classrooms do you dream of teaching?
Is an Elmo something you would find tremendously helpful in demonstrating an object or do you need two digital projectors to show contrasting views of a painting? Would more portable polycom units make teaching between and among our campuses help you teach more advanced classes? Would our drama and music faculty like to teach and perform in a modern theater? Should our North County Campus students have a modern Library Learning Resource Center? Beautiful as much of our SLO Campus is would it fill you with pride to see landscaped property when you drive into the front circle? Should our math classes actually have classrooms reserved first for math and the biology ATV lab join the 21st century? Should your offices have computers with software that lets you work more efficiently and furniture that looks and feels good? Should wireless be the Cuesta of tomorrow?

If you answered “Yes!”, then join me on Cuesta’s Quest. “Cuesta’s Quest” is the slogan we are using to entitle planning for the college’s next generation. The District Committee for Bond Measure Planning and Education has been getting excellent input such as “Tell us what our classrooms will look like” and “Will Project Oz really become old news ?” Committee members are hearing suggestions for facilities needs that weren’t included in the 2001 Education and Facilities Master Plan.

Phase I of planning Cuesta College’s future is well on the way to accomplishing these three purposes: 1) Obtaining employees’ and students’ input about the kinds of buildings, classrooms, labs, offices, equipment, and campus environment needed for premier education today and tomorrow; 2) Getting the county’s elected officials, community and service club leaders, and the public to understand what it will take for Cuesta College to continue to provide outstanding academic transfer education and successful job training for the next generation; 3) Providing the Board of Trustees with a comprehensive facilities needs assessment and a synthesis of college and community input so the Board can decide whether to place a Proposition 39 bond measure on the June 2006 election ballot, and if so, for which facilities.

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