Will the Coachella Valley ever be in the running to adopt a standalone 4-year university?
News  PALM DESERT, Calif. - "California State University Palm Desert" has a nice ring to it for locals who have thrown their support behind adopting a standalone 4-year university in the Coachella Valley. As of now, the campus in Palm Desert serves as a satellite location for CSU San Bernardino, more than 60 miles away. "Like most kids I feel a little bit nervous. This is my first year in college. I do feel a little nervous, but Im excited knowing that Im here at home," said Jason Davalos. Davalos will be a first-time freshman come August. He'll be majoring in nursing, with a majority of his classes being offered in Palm Desert. While Davalos isn't entirely sure whether some of his classes in the future will have to be taken at the main campus in San Bernardino, he was offered peace of mind after being informed of the assistance provided to students. "If we do need to take them at the main campus there is a Sunline shuttle that takes us for free to the San Bernardino campus so thats really helpful," Davalos said. Davalos will share the experience of an exciting new chapter with hundreds of Coachella Valley students poised for college. The Palm Desert campus is a commuter extension which provides local students the opportunity to have access to higher education closer to home. Many students opt to remain in the Coachella Valley to save money and stay closer to home, but the decision doesn't always work out that way. Depending on the program, students may find themselves having to drive miles on end to the main campus because programs at the extension campus are limited. "Everywhere that has a well-diversified, high-paying economy has a university," Coachella Valley Economic Partnership Chief Innovation Officer, Joe Wallace said. "We are the only place in the US with 500,000 or therabouts permanent residents that doesnt have a 4-year comprehensive university that offers stem degrees." Wallace and CVEP have been at the forefront of trying to make CSU Palm Desert a reality. The organization produced a recent study highlighting the overdue need for a standalone campus. Only 16 percent of the Coachella Valley workforce holds a bachelor's degree, according to the report. A majority of those degrees came from adults on the western end. While a satellite campus is a start, Wallace and other supporters believe it is not enough. "Some of the classes have to be gotten in San Bernardino so they have to drive and a lot of the kids are from families from the east end. (They) are families that are struggling financially and I dont mean not having enough to go out to a fancy restaurant, Im talking about having food challenges and shelter challenges. The young people are expected to help and how can you go to college and take all of these hard courses and then work and pitch in 30-40 dollars a day to the family that needs it?" Wallace said. Coming up at 6 p.m. this evening we're taking a deeper look into what it is going to take to bring a 4-year university to the Coachella Valley. Plus, learn what is already being done to gain support in Sacramento.