Low Enrollment at Downtown Center Triggers Shutdown
A $2.2 million state funding cut forces City College to shutter its Downtown Center after 47 years, with programs set to disperse across remaining campuses.
Facing the loss of $2.2 million in state funding on July 1, City College’s first major hit is the shutdown of its Downtown Center.
After 47 years, the Downtown Center will close its doors at the end of the summer session, as announced by Chancellor Kimberlee Messina in an email sent Friday afternoon.
Messina said the reorganization is intended to strengthen the college’s long-term fiscal stability while continuing to serve students through other centers. Funding from the state is based on the number of full-time equivalent students. Since the Downtown Center has fallen below the 1,000 full-time students threshold required by the state, it is no longer financially viable to sustain.
By contrast, shifting programs from the Downtown Center to other sites, such as the John Adams and Chinatown centers, could increase funding potential by increasing enrollment.
The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies Department had requested a move to a new campus after the recent retirement announcement of its department head, Elizabeth Riehle. The department had requested a move to Ocean Campus, while also weighing Chinatown, equipped with a never-before-used kitchen, demonstration, and retail area, as a possible future site. Downtown's loss of the culinary department considerably cut the center's enrollment.
English as a Second Language and Noncredit ESL programs are hoping to transfer to the Chinatown location, which Messina said is the closest alternative site for many students. ESL courses are also offered at the Mission Center.
When asked about the college’s intent for the property, Messina said they are “exploring options for it to be used by community-based organizations, where it could support immigration and working families, or be a part of the city’s revitalization of downtown.”
The college has owned the building since 1979 and has no intention of selling the property at this time.
The college has not yet announced a full transition plan for all programs affected by the closure, but assured staff, like the center’s librarians, will instead be relocated across campuses starting in the fall.
This is a breaking story; check back for updates.
