After San Diego State President Adela de la Torres’s recent visit to SDSU’s Imperial Valley Campus as a part of her “Listening Tour,” Imperial Valley students said she instilled a sense of optimism for the future of their campus.
De la Torre, who began her stint as president in June 2018, made her first visit to the Imperial Valley campus in late November. The president met with the campus’s Associated Students members and listened to the representatives concerns about the future of the campus.
More funds, a wider choice of majors, on-campus food options and student housing are just a few of the issues students at the Imperial Valley campus said they would like de la Torre to help them address.
Their A.S. is currently working on a pilot program for food trucks to be brought in as a temporary response to the students concerns with on-campus food options. Acosta said students have wanted a cafeteria as a more permanent solution.
“One of those things that we always bring about is the cafeteria,” Acosta said. “We need something here. Food trucks are coming, but maybe later in the future it can be something more permanent.”
Psychology senior and A.S. Ambassador Mariela Rodriguez said she would like to see more student housing on campus. She said this change could be beneficial to commuter students.
“We have students that commute and we want to make that easier to students to come to class,” she said.
Rodriguez also said she thinks the Imperial Valley campus would be a more competitive option for prospective students if it had a wider variety of majors. According to the university’s website, the campus is currently providing only 11 different bachelor degree programs, in contrast with the San Diego campuses 88 bachelor degree programs.
“Some of the majors we offer are psychology and criminal justice,” Rodriguez said. “I would like to see more like business, healthcare and a wide variety of things that will attract more students.”
As a part of her visit, de la Torre meet with some of the A.S. representatives to speak with them in person and hear their concerns. A.S. Vice President and history graduate Carlos Chao said the meeting addressed some of their concerns with the campus’s future and that she left them feeling hopeful.
“It was very productive,” Chao said. “We talked about a lot with the campus moving forward and with organizations. She seems very interested in what we’re doing.”
Imperial Valley A.S. President Anthony Acosta said the visit made him feel appreciative, as he said the Imperial Valley campus can often be easy to forget.
“We sometimes feel not a lot of attention is paid over here,” Acosta said. “It was a heartwarming visit from her. We really appreciate her concern in our campus.”
Acosta said their campus is deeply in need of resources and that the main solution here they would like de la Torre to address would be increased funding.
“We don’t have that many resources here in Imperial Valley,” he said. “We need the funds.”
Acosta said he hopes the visit with de la Torre was the beginning of a stronger bond between the Imperial Valley students and the president.
“With her visit, I hope she keeps us in mind,” Acosta said. “I’m glad she came down here. (A.S. is) here for the students and as long as it keeps growing up, I’m happy.”
