CSU VOTE WELCOMES AREA SITE; CAMARILLO'S CHANNEL ISLANDS NAMED SYSTEM'S 23RD CAMPUS.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

The Channel Islands campus was designated Wednesday as the 23rd campus in the California State University system, paving the way for it to open as a free-standing university in 2002.

The unanimous action by the board of trustees is contingent on the state appropriating $23 million over the next two years to hire at least 100 planners and staff to create a full academic agenda at CSUCI.

``This is a very, very important milestone in the development of the campus,'' said Handel Evans, the university's president. ``It represents the trustees and chancellor of the system doing whatever they can do to make the campus a reality. The establishment of the campus is now within reach.''

Trustees stressed that the allocation - $10 million for fiscal 2000-01 and $13 million the following year - must be separate from the CSU system's budget, which is $3.14 billion this year.

``We need to see there is demonstrated, ongoing support for this campus,'' said Ken Swisher, spokesman for CSU Chancellor Charles Reed. ``This campus should not have any financial effect on other campus' budget.''

With the funding secured, the university would assume full financial and academic responsibility for the campus in fall 2000 and would request at least $13 million a year from 2002-03 on to keep staff employed.

The university originally planned to break off as a satellite campus of California State University, Northridge, no earlier than fall 2004 - when 5,000 full-and part-time students are expected to be enrolled.

CSUN will move its satellite campus this August from Ventura to the former Camarillo State Hospital site, with as many as 1,900 full- and part-time students expected to enroll.

Trustees' approval had also been contingent upon factors that are no longer at issue: strong community support, an enrollment of at least 200 full-time-equivalent students and at least three degree programs. Supporters also had to demonstrate that the campus would have no adverse impact on other regional higher education institutes.

The university must also gain approval of the California Postsecondary Education Commission, which is expected to vote on the plan in January or February.

Evans said he does not anticipate any problems getting final approval.

Plans call for a full build-out of approximately 15,000 full- and part-time students within 25 years.