Riverside Unified trustees spent an extended portion of Tuesday’s workshop discussing future facilities for Riverside STEM Academy, weighing a long-discussed proposal to locate a STEM Education Center on UC Riverside land against renovating or repurposing district property.
Staff reminded the board that CEQA work for a proposed UCR site has been completed and referred to the UC Regents for approval; the board has previously explored the UCR option. Staff also emphasized constraints at the current Hyatt campus: tight topography, aging buildings that lack modern laboratory infrastructure, and accessibility challenges. Trustees and community speakers raised conflicting perspectives about the UCR option and about renovating Hyatt.
Key points from the discussion:
- UCR option: The district has pursued a lease/partnership with UC Riverside and completed environmental review; the proposed site at Blaine/Canyon Crest would allow increased enrollment and close proximity to university research assets. Several trustees and community supporters said the UCR location would strengthen university–district partnerships and give students access to research professors and labs.
- Lease terms and long-term ownership: Trustees scrutinized lease language referenced in discussion (drafts show a nominal lease payment with RUSD funding construction), and some trustees objected to clauses that would leave improvements to RUSD and allow UC Regents to take ownership at lease expiration or early termination. Trustee concerns included the possibility that the district would not retain a permanently owned facility.
- Hyatt campus constraints: Trustees and staff agreed the existing campus lacks permanent, modern lab spaces and is topographically constrained; several trustees said the current site has required makeshift solutions that are insufficient for long-term STEM programming.
- Alternatives and timing: Multiple trustees urged staff to pursue alternatives concurrently: re-purpose other district-owned sites, explore near-campus pairs so middle- and high-school programs remain closely coordinated, and continue dialogue with UCR. Trustees also asked for a near-term plan to address student needs rather than delay until an optimal site is guaranteed.
Public comments were split: community speakers who support a UCR-based STEM Center cited close faculty partnerships and research access; other speakers urged caution about an arrangement that could transfer building ownership to UC Regents or depend on uncertain Regents approval.
Why it matters: STEM Academy facilities affect program capacity, curriculum design and long-term district capital obligations. The choice has fiscal implications (construction cost estimates were discussed during the meeting) and programmatic implications (keeping the academy cohort intact vs. splitting grades across sites).
Next steps: Staff will pursue multiple tracks in parallel: follow up with UC Riverside about regents’ timeline; develop alternative concepts for repurposing district properties or co-locating program phases near one another; solicit input from STEM staff and parents on program continuity needs; and return with cost estimates and governance/lease implications for trustee consideration.