San Jose City College President Breland has declared his intention to build a child development center on campus, according to a document read by vice president Jorge Escobar at the Facilities and Safety Technology shared governance committee meeting during public comment Oct. 16.

The document was a statement by the early childhood education faculty members who were unable to attend the meeting.

Last year, faculty, students and administrators agreed on the need and importance of a child development on campus, Escobar said.

“If we move ahead with the proper studies and design, the expectation is that we can have an early child development (center) back on campus by 2019, if everything goes according to the plan,” Escobar said. “We will start the process of outlining and defining the scope.”

Early Childhood Education Club President Mina Alsadoon said having a child development center on-site will have many positive impacts.

“By building one here on campus, we can all be part of designing the perfect center,” Alsadoon said. “Our students will not go outside of school to find environments in which to observe and do the work experience hours needed.”

Alsadoon said the center will keep student parents from spending their time and effort toward looking for child care while attending school.

The decision to go through with the project was made after funds were discovered left over from the Measure G bond—funds which must be spent before June 2019, Escobar said in the FaST committee meeting Sept. 19.

“I was informed that we have around $7.7 million additional allocated to us,” Escobar said, “the deadline to spend that money is June 2019 when G2010 has to close.”

When the Child Development Center was shut down in 2011 due to hazardous building conditions, former president of SJCC Barbara Kavalier promised to bring back child care services to SJCC.

“It is important to note that we are committed to bringing back child care services to San Jose City College and have begun building a plan for the future Center,” Kavilier said in a statement to the college community in April 2011.

Janet Chang, FaST committee member, said she believes promises made—even those made by a previous administration—should be kept.

Not only will it (a child development center) benefit students on campus, “it partners with one of our major programs, Early Childhood Education,” Chang said. “Instead of sending people all over the place, we should have child care that supports the students while they are here on campus and supports the early childhood education program.”