June 22, 2001

Contact: Amy Peters, Community Relations Coordinator, YVCC (509) 574-6870

YAKIMA, Wash. - After years of planning, Yakima Valley Community College has received approval from the Washington state House and Senate for construction of a $16.5 million Yakima Valley higher education center.

A press conference and celebration will be held on Monday, June 25, at 10 a.m. in the Hopf Student Union Building on the YVCC Yakima Campus.

While YVCC will remain a two-year college, the addition of upper division and graduate level programs by Central Washington University and Washington State University on YVCC's campus will make it possible for time- and place-bound students to earn baccalaureate and master's degrees.

Advantages of the approximately 60,000 square-foot center, to be built on the site of the existing tennis courts just to the east of Sherar Gymnasium, include optimal utilization of space and a coordination of unduplicated services between the three colleges. The center will include classrooms, computer labs, videoconference rooms, student support services, offices and 186 additional parking spaces.

Planning for the center began in 1996 when the Higher Educating Coordinating Board distributed a state master plan, which was followed by a preliminary agreement identifying roles of the three institutions involved. Since that time, YVCC, CWU and WSU have been involved in the pre-design study, appraisals, public meetings, design process and signing of the project charter.

The next phase of planning for the center will include requesting bids for construction. It's expected the project will be completed by January 2003.