Campus for Mission College Backed by Governing Board

Mission College in the San Fernando Valley won the backing of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges on Thursday in its long-running bid to gain state funds for a permanent campus. The board, meeting in Los Angeles, approved the district’s plan to construct one building on a site in Sylmar.

Since it opened in 1975, Mission has operated in a series of rented storefront facilities while college officials planned to build a complete campus. This year, Mission has 3,100 students, and officials have projected that at least 6,000 students would enroll if a two-building, $27-million permanent campus is built.

On Thursday, the state board, which must approve new campuses, endorsed a scaled-down plan that calls for one new building. The idea must also gain the backing of the California Postsecondary Education Commission and the state Department of Finance.