officials at the Institutional Technology Building ribbon cutting
Members of Southwestern College’s Institutional Technology team join Governing Board Member Roberto Alcantar and Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez for the official ribbon cutting dedication of the new building.

In a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday, Southwestern College leaders and partners dedicated the college’s newest building funded by Proposition R.

The 16,000-square-foot building will be the heartbeat of the college’s technology, bringing together the college’s information technology infrastructure and its related technology operations support.

“To me, our new building means ‘unity,'” said Institutional Technology Director Michael Davis. “Some IT team members were scattered in different offices across the Chula Vista campus. Now we’re under one roof and able to collaborate more effectively.”

The dedication of the building was meaningful in more ways than one. While it centralized all college institutional technology needs, its construction also allowed the demolition of the old building. That demolition will make way for a new instructional building that will also serve as the college’s new University Center at the front of the Chula Vista campus.

“Our University Center will create access to students who want to pursue four-year degrees that meet today’s workforce needs and are aligned with their personal and career goals,” said Southwestern College Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez.

Construction for the IT building cost $25.6 million and was funded by Proposition R, the $389 million bond measure approved by South County voters in 2008.