Page 2 - coccc2008annual

Dear Community Member:

What a tremendous first year we've had at the College of the Canyons Canyon Country campus! In less than 12 months, we have of-
fered 700 classes and enrolled nearly 1,300 full-time-equivalent students. By way of comparison, these numbers make the campus
about as large as five full-fledged community college districts in the state and were far higher than the number of students we pre-
dicted we would serve in the first year.

In fact, nearly eve1y facet of the campus' opening and operation exceeded our expectations. Did we think we would find 70 acres of
open land close to State Route 14, major roadways and existing neighborhoods? No, we expected to secure a much smaller space, but
the property we have gives us the ability to grow with the community and provide even greater access to education than we envi-
sioned.
Did we think 3,400 students would enroll in classes during the first semester? Definitely not! In fact, when we began designing the
campus layout some years ago and projecting the number of classrooms we would need, we planned space for 1,500 students. We
double-checked our estimates before we started building and found that things had changed. The valley's population growth, com-
bined with more students commuting to the Valencia campus from the eastern Santa Clarita Valley, rendered our earlier estimates ob-
solete. The new projections indicated 3,000 students could be expected at the new campus. And we even exceeded that estimate by 13
percent when we finally opened!

Did we think we could take raw land and transform it into a campus in 13 months? Absolutely! Instead of spending time devising
contingency plans, we pushed fo1ward with making the dream a reality. Our contractors supported our vision and went above and
beyond to meet our aggressive schedule. The parking lot was paved the weekend before we opened, and on Monday morning, Aug.
27, 2007, we welcomed thousands of students to a brand-new campus.

Did we think the community of Canyon Country would embrace the new campus? We did, but we've been overwhelmed by the ex-
citement, appreciation and warm welcome we have received this past year. Hundreds of people turned out on a Saturday in October
for our day-long Opening Celebration, seizing the opportunity to see the campus firsthand, meet faculty and staff, and learn how they
could take advantage of the classes and services we have available. Hundreds more joined us in March for a "Business After Hours"
event co-sponsored with the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The strongest support we have received from the community came from the members of the Canyon Country Campus Advisory
Committee. Many from this dedicated group of volunteers have been with us since we began looking for a suitable site more than six
years ago. They accompanied us on field trips along bumpy, dusty canyon roads, patiently listened to pitches and presentations from
land developers, and helped us make connections in the community. We wouldn't be where we are today without their belief in what
we can do, their good ideas and their enthusiastic support.
Finally, do we expect to continue exceeding our expectations in the future? Yes! It has been seven years since we first started offering
classes in the eastern Santa Clarita Valley at the Canyon Country ACCESS Center in the newly established public library on Soledad
Canyon Road. Our goal then was to provide access to education for those who might not otherwise have it. The new campus is a sym-
bol of our commitment to Canyon Country. We wanted to offer not only classes, but also provide a network of services that students
need and a place that would be a resource for businesses in the area. We have done that, but what you see today represents the begin-
ning. The campus will evolve as we add new majors and programs, expand the facilities and continue striving to meet the commu-
nity's needs. We' re off to a great start. And, if the past is a good indicator of the future, the Canyon Country campus will become a
resource whose reach and impact far surpass what we can imagine today.

Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook
CHANCELLOR
SANTA CLARITA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT / COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS