CSU TRUSTEES ACQUIRE CAMARILLO HOSPITAL SITE.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

California State University trustees on Wednesday approved the critical measures needed to take over and develop the former Camarillo State Hospital into the system's 23rd campus.

A year after giving the CSU chancellor approval to pursue the 650-acre site, the trustees formally took possession of the site for California State University, Channel Islands. Funding for the conversion is included in this year's state budget.

``The significant action today was the conveyance of the site,'' said Ken Swisher, a spokesman with the Chancellor's Office. ``It now actually is under the auspices of the CSU (system).

``It's one of our off-campus centers now. It's a big step in their becoming our 23rd campus.''

With two busloads of county dignitaries and residents on hand for the meeting in Long Beach, trustees also approved an environmental impact report and long-range development plan for the campus.

``It's truly a historic day for Ventura County,'' state Sen. Jack O'Connell, D-Santa Barbara, said before the vote.

The off-campus center in Ventura is the largest in the CSU system. It will move to the Camarillo site in time to open for classes in fall 1999, officials said.

The Camarillo campus will remain an extension of California State University, Northridge, until enough students enroll to justify the expenses of a four-year university. Plans call for CSU Channel Islands to gain accreditation and open as a four-year university by fall 2004.

The initial renovation would provide space for 2,000 students. The new campus would need some 3,250 students to become a four-year university, officials have said.

Projected to be completed in 20 to 25 years, CSU Channel Islands would have 15,000 students. Housing for just 1,000 students is planned, so it is envisioned as a commuter campus.

The environmental study found that increased traffic, pollutant emissions and loss of prime farmland are unavoidable impacts of the campus conversion.

Traffic congestion is a particular concern. The development plan calls for an alternative transportation system relying on electric and natural-gas shuttle buses connecting to city and county bus lines, Metrolink stations and park-and-ride lots. Bicycle lanes on area highways and roads, and the widening of Lewis Road also are planned.

First-year funding includes $11.3 million to renovate 100,000 square feet of the former state hospital for classrooms, faculty offices and support service facilities and $5.2 million to operate the off-campus center.

State lawmakers also have approved a measure creating a special authority to manage the campus. Separate from the academic side, the authority will lease space to generate revenue for a four-year university rather than relying on future state funding.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.