CSU TRUSTEES BACK PLAN TO OBTAIN SITE FOR CAMPUS.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

California State University trustees unanimously approved a plan Wednesday to acquire the former Camarillo State Hospital for Ventura County's first public four-year university, bringing cheers from dozens of supporters attending the meeting in Long Beach.

The trustees gave the CSU chancellor approval to take over the 650-acre site if Gov. Pete Wilson signs transfer legislation. Lawmakers still must approve $6.5 million in next year's state budget so the campus could begin operating by January 1999, officials said.

The Camarillo campus would remain the off-campus extension of California State University, Northridge, now in Ventura, until enough students enroll to justify the expense of a four-year state university.

Last year, the trustees approved the university's name - CSU Channel Islands - making it the 23rd campus in a university system that began in San Jose in 1857.

``That is the ultimate goal. We're laying the groundwork for a four-year university there,'' said trustee Jim Considine of Arcadia, who chairs the board's subcommittee on campus development.

Wednesday's unanimous approval culminated a lobbying effort started by community, business and educational leaders in January 1996 when the governor announced plans to close the hospital.

Dozens of supporters - many wearing red and white buttons reading ``Yes CSUCI Yes'' - made the trip from the county to show support. State and local lawmakers who spoke at the meeting said the unanimous vote was an important first step.

``When we started this, we got letters back from trustees that said, in essence, we're not interested,'' said Charlotte Craven, a Camarillo councilwoman who helped lead the hospital conversion effort. ``This (vote) was like, `Hallelujah.' ''

Ventura County is the largest county in California in population without a state university, and planning for one has been dragging on since 1965.

State Sen. Jack O'Connell, who authored the conversion bill recently passed by state lawmakers, said there will be ample enrollment to move the campus from a CSUN extension to a four-year university.

``We now have legs. This was a giant leap forward,'' he said. ``There's absolutely no doubt that this will develop into a free-standing four-year university.''

O'Connell, D-Santa Barbara, said Ventura County's high school seniors surely would attend the university. He noted that county families register in the state's top half in median income and home values, yet the transfer rate for high school seniors to the CSU and UC systems is in the bottom third.

``I think that just means it's not accessible,'' said O'Connell, who grew up in Oxnard but attended CSU Fullerton in the early 1970s.

Joining O'Connell at the trustees meeting were Assemblymen Brooks Firestone, R-Santa Barbara, and Nao Takasugi, R-Camarillo. They are expected to lead the push for the $6.5 million in state funding needed next year to move the CSUN extension to the former hospital.

The total $11.8 million budget for 1998-99, including student fees and lease revenue from a lemon orchard previously considered for the university, would support faculty and staff and related operating costs for 1,100 full-time students.

The trustees also recommended the creation of a special authority, similar to a redevelopment agency, that would join with the county to lease portions of the property for use by private businesses and grant tax benefits.

Such revenue would be needed to help repay bonds expected to be sold by the CSU trustees to pay for an estimated $12 million in conversion costs for 100,000 square feet of buildings, said Mary Stephens, executive project manager for the CSU Channel Islands campus.

About 750 full-time students attend the CSU Northridge extension housed in a 30,000-square-foot Ventura office building.

The new campus needs a full-time enrollment of about 3,200 to make financial sense as an independent university. An additional 100,000 square feet of building space would need to be converted, Stephens said.

Planning for CSU Channel Islands is budgeted to cost $1.5 million for the year that began July 1.

A significant portion of the budget will be spent on a dozen or more consultants needed to help plan the conversion. They will deal with issues ranging from asbestos removal and fire safety to utility improvements and planning studies to determine the best uses for buildings, officials said.