NCJ Daily Online

HSU Foresees Doubling of Enrollment as Cal Poly Humboldt

As Humboldt State University geared up to welcome the first wave of students back Aug. 14, the campus released its “near-final draft” of a self-study conducted as part of the process for becoming California’s third polytechnic campus, a final version of which is slated to go before the California State University Board of Trustees for consideration in January.

With the designation, HSU forecasts a rapid increase in enrollment over the next few years, growing from this fall’s student class of about 5,500 to nearly 11,000 students by 2028. And it would bring a name change, with the current recommendation being California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt — or Cal Poly Humboldt, for short.

The 135-page document submitted to the Chancellor’s Office earlier this month states that HSU already has a strong foundation for becoming a polytechnic and currently serves the third highest number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) students in the CSU system, only behind the two current polytechnic campuses: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona.

The study also notes those two programs are impacted and bringing HSU on board as a third option — and the only one located in the northern reaches of the California — would not only benefit the local community but fill a statewide need.

“We are a sound investment as a university already excelling in inclusive STEM education and research with a focus on economic, cultural, and environmental sustainability and a just global society,” the conclusion states. “As a polytechnic, HSU is a triple threat: adding unique degree programs aligned with the state of California’s goals regarding areas like climate resilience and wildfire mitigation, creating access to impacted degree programs in the CSU system that correlate with huge workforce games, and stimulating the Northern California economy and specifically the North Coast as HSU is the largest regional employer and an economic driver for the region.”

Earlier this year, the university announced plans to expand its curriculum to include more STEM-related degree programs as soon as fall of 2023 — including applied fire science and management, cannabis studies, data science, geospatial information science and technology and software engineering — as part of the campus’ polytechnic push, using $25 million in state funds.

Beauty in the Streets

Photo by Alexander Woodard Artist Tony Diaz, right, continues to work on “Tortured Beauty” with assistance from Danielle Nutt during the Eureka Street Art Festival, which has artists hitting the streets in droves to transform placid walls into vibrant murals. Check out a full slideshow from local photographer Alexander Woodard at www.northcoastjournal.com. POSTED 08.15.21

Another $433 million included in the state budget to assist HSU’s transformation into polytechnic university “would go toward improving technology and broadband support, which is vital to our rural campus, and toward infrastructure for mixed-use space for housing and other basic needs, academic instruction, and the support of students’ success,” the study states.

“Humboldt State University would expect to see enrollment increase 50 percent within three years and 100 percent within seven years, immediately adding highly educated and trained graduates to the California workforce. HSU would rapidly meet student demand for more programs and hands-on learning offered by polytechnic institutions,” the study states. “This would help California retain more students who are enrolling in STEM programs at universities within California and across the United States.”

The study does note the “limited off-campus” housing opportunities in the area but states HSU is launching plans to accommodate around 4,000 students in campus housing by 2028, beginning with around 800 beds via the Craftsman’s Mall project by 2024.

— Kimberly Wear POSTED 08.12.21 Read the full story online.

Make us a part of your daily life

For the news as it develops and all you need to understand politics, people and art on the North Coast, follow us online.

Fires Continue to Rage: As the Journal went to press Aug. 17, four fires continued to spread to the east, combining to char more than 260,000 acres. The two largest — the Monument Fire and the McFarland Fire — had closed state routes 299 and 36, while the McCash Fire threatened Karuk cultural sites. Gusty winds were forecast, prompting a Red Flag Warning. POSTED 08.17.21 Spring Chinook in Peril: A survey of spring Chinook salmon on the Klamath River has returned one of the lowest numbers in decades, spotting only 95 of the fish where hundreds of thousands once swam, according to the Karuk Tribe. “It’s like watching a loved one on life support,” said Karuk Tribal Chair Russell “Buster” Attebery in a press release.

northcoastjournal.com/ncjdaily northcoastjournal

Deputy Resigns: Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Arellano resigned this week after a California Highway Patrol investigation into his on-duty crash near Singley Hill Road and Loleta Drive found no other vehicles had been involved and he’d lied to investigators. “The deputy’s actions are unacceptable and deeply disappointing,” Sheriff William Honsal said in a press release. POSTED 08.16.21

ncj_of_humboldt ncjournal

POSTED 08.12.21

northcoastjournal newsletters

Digitally Speaking

The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed by Humboldt County Public Health through the first 17 days of August — already by far the most in any single month since the pandemic began. The county had also seen 52 hospitalizations and six deaths over that span while recording a test-positivity rate of 16 percent. POSTED 08.17.21

They Said It

“That’s the way we’re going to eat this elephant — one bite at a time.”

— U.S. Forest Service Operations Section Chief Steve Burns during an Aug. 11 briefing with North Coast Congressmember Jared Huffman on efforts to fight the then 60,000-acre Monument Fire with just 300 firefighters spread across seven crews as fires throughout the western United States have depleted resources. POSTED 08.11.21

Comment of the Week

“Stay safe out there firefighters! Thank you for battling in these awful conditions to keep our communities safe!”

— Spinnel Clark commenting on the Journal’s Facebook page on a story offering an update on the four fires burning to Humboldt County’s east and their impacts. For daily updates, visit www.northcoastjournal.com. POSTED 08.17.21