Mission College Wayward No More; It Opens 22-Acre Campus in Sylmar

After 16 years of operating out of assorted rented locations--84 to be exact--Mission College on Wednesday officially opened its permanent campus in Sylmar.

“I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven,” teacher Eileen Lapp said after a program to welcome students. “Look at all this parking.”

“It’s fantastic,” said Ray Robles, 27, a computer science student.

The opening of Mission’s new campus on 22 acres next to El Cariso Regional Park came after years of frustrating setbacks and delays, including several battles with the governor and state Legislature over funds to build the $25-million facility.

But while recognizing the day as historic and praising the new campus, student leaders, faculty members and administrators said Wednesday that the work isn’t finished yet.

“There is still much to be done,” said Lewis Munoz, 24, student body president. “The students don’t have any place to sit. Where’s our student lounge? How about food service? I don’t see a cafeteria.”

Munoz pointed to an open area inside one of the three buildings. “This would make a great lounge,” he said. “If only we could get some chairs and tables donated.”

Robles, a disabled student, said there should be more wheelchair ramps. “But it’s better than the buildings in San Fernando,” he added.

College President Jack Fujimoto said the new campus is a dream come true, but emphasized that “this is only the beginning.”

With the campus already bursting at the seams, administrators are planning for an expansion with a $63.7-million price tag.

Fujimoto and others said they looked forward to the day when more classroom buildings, a cafeteria, sports fields and other facilities are funded and built. “Then we will be a complete campus,” Fujimoto said.

As of Wednesday, enrollment at Mission was at an all-time high of 9,500 students, well above last year’s 7,000.

Carlos Nava, dean of students, said 170 of the 523 classes are closed. “We may need to open more if we can find the money,” he said.

“Today is a fresh start,” said Eloise Cantrell, president of the Academic Senate. “We’ve got to keep going and keep growing.”

Cantrell noted that 48 of Mission’s 55 original faculty members are still at the college. “We’ve spent 16 1/2 years of struggling together. We never gave up.”

But despite the campus’s obvious deficiencies, such as a lack of seating, some crowded classes and a cafeteria, most students said they were happy to be at Mission’s new home.

“It’s wonderful,” said Maria Alcocer, 19, a computer science student. Alcocer and her friend, Karina Garcia, 21, proudly sported orange buttons proclaiming Mission College to be No. 1.

Identical twins Raquel and Sara Ramirez, 19, said they chose Mission rather than Valley College, which is closer to their Van Nuys home.

“It’s exciting to be at a new campus,” Raquel said. “We wanted to be part of something different. We wanted to get away from the friends we knew in high school.”

Fujimoto said a more formal dedication is planned for Mission later this year.

“We hope to get a big name--perhaps Barbara Bush,” he said.