The California State University Board of Trustees unanimously approved the schematic design for the new Student Services Building at Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus on Sept. 13.

When complete, the new 23,700-assignable-square-foot building will include an advising/tutoring center, career center, expanded campus library, group study space, a cross cultural center, campus bookstore, food services, a student health center and a recreation and wellness center, and provide enhanced services and support for students at the Palm Desert Campus.

It will free up approximately 10,000 square feet of existing space in the campus’ Mary Stuart Rogers Gateway Building, Indian Wells Center for Educational Excellence and Palm Desert Health Sciences Building to be re-purposed for the expansion of academic programs on the campus, including additional faculty office and classroom space.

“The approval of the schematic design by the CSU Board of Trustees is truly a testament to the collaborative efforts put forth by all those involved in the project, including the team of architects at LPA Inc., CSUSB Facilities Planning & Management and members of the Coachella Valley community,” said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales. “This milestone marks a significant step forward to expanding the physical footprint of our Palm Desert Campus to better serve the needs of our students in the Coachella Valley.”

The new Student Services Building is intended to support up to 4,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students and is designed for maximal flexibility as the campus continues to grow.

“After our success securing state funding, we are excited to see this project advance,” said Eduardo Garcia, state assemblymember from the 36th District. “The construction of a new Student Services Building in the Coachella Valley supports student achievement, increases resource accessibility and strengthens opportunities for future growth, and we applaud the university and all partners who made this possible, most especially the advocacy of our students.”

“I am thrilled the CSU Board of Trustees approved the final design and construction for the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Student Services Building,” said Greg Wallis, state assemblymember from the 47th District. “This transformative project will empower our students to reach new heights and strengthen our community’s future. I would like to thank the partnership of the city of Palm Desert, Coachella Valley Economic Partnership and the previous state legislator for advocating together to fund this expansion of the Palm Desert Campus for our future students.”

Edna Martinez, the new associate vice president and administrator in charge at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, echoed their sentiments.

“We are excited to hear that the building design has been approved and grateful for the support of the many individuals who helped make this facility a reality. It’s going to be life changing for our students and their experience on campus. PDC is on the move,” she said.

Joe Wallace, CEO of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, agrees.

“CVEP identified the expansion of university-level educational opportunities as the No. 1 need in the Coachella Valley to poise its workforce for the good paying jobs of the future in 2018,” he said. “The student center that was just approved by the Board of Trustees is an important part of actualizing our educational infrastructure. This effort was truly a unified effort by the people of the region.”

The project is on track to break ground in June 2025.

About PDC: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, teaching credentials and certificates. Serving more than 2,200 students, it is the Coachella Valley’s four-year public university and plays a vital role in educating and training the region’s growing population.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.