Back in 2002, San Diego voters approved Proposition S, a construction-bond program for the San Diego Community College District. The $685 million in bonds provided for repairs and major renovations at each of the three main campuses and six continuing education sites.

It wasn’t enough. So, in 2006, voters approved another bond program for the San Diego Community College District — Proposition N, another $870 million in bonds.

During the past few years, with over $1.5 billion in construction bonds at their disposal, community college officials have been transforming older campuses into state-of-the-art educational facilities.

Last month, officials broke ground on what will become City College's first newly constructed building paid entirely by Props S and N: the 88,000 square-foot career-technology building, located downtown, will be home to the nursing, cosmetology, and photography and digital arts programs, and includes a new headquarters for campus police.

According to a press release from the college, “The Nursing Department will include new nursing simulation and skills labs, complete with computer simulation technology and simulation practice models. New darkrooms and studios in the photography and digital arts department will incorporate professional cyclorama backdrops, 66 enlarger stations, 3 digital print labs, and an expansive gallery to display student work. The expanded cosmetology department will include high-tech instructional labs for skincare and hair care programs, along with retail service areas.”

Ursula Kroemer is the communications director for the San Diego Community College School District's construction-bond program. She says the money from the bonds have been put to good use, both educationally and environmentally.

“By voting for these two bonds, the citizens of San Diego made a significant and important investment in our students and the community’s future. We have our own internal goals, which are to achieve at least the minimum certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for every eligible project, and I think we’ll hit platinum at each of the main three campuses. This is also something the District and Trustees take very seriously. We need to not only be good stewards of public monies, we need to be good caretakers of our global resources.”

For more on San Diego Community College District transforming its campuses to state of the art educational institutions from Props S and N funds, or to find out what a cyclorama backdrop is, go to sdccd.edu.