Cal State San Marcos outlines expanded housing, engineering and workforce programs to feed San Diego economy

Dr. Ellen Neufeld, president of California State University San Marcos, told the Assembly Committee on Economic Development that the university is expanding housing and degree programs to support social mobility and regional workforce needs. "We were founded only 35 years ago...we are ranked in the top 1% in the country in advancing social mobility," Neufeld said, adding that the campus enrolls almost 17,000 students and houses about 2,200 people today.

The university said it currently provides about 1,800 on‑campus beds and expects to open 550 new beds next fall through state affordable housing funding, a step Neufeld described as critical for making college more accessible. "Sixty‑five percent of our students graduate with no debt," she told the committee, and she said for students with debt the average is less than $15,000.

Neufeld and Dr. Carl Kamnitz, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cal State San Marcos, emphasized several workforce initiatives tied to local industry. The campus has launched engineering programs in partnership with industry (including Viasat) with currently high veteran and Hispanic enrollment in software and electrical engineering. Kamnitz described the campus Innovation Hub and the Infinity Lab biotech incubator as places that connect students with internships, startups and industry projects. "Each startup that rents space in the lab is required to involve our students as assistants, interns or with other learning and research opportunities," Kamnitz said.

Officials said program design is intentionally coordinated with employers and regional partners. Neufeld cited a San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation projection that the region must double postsecondary completions by 2030 — adding roughly 20,000 degree- or certificate-holders a year — to sustain local growth. The university described dual‑enrollment and accelerated tracks such as the SWIFT (Scholars and Wellness and Innovation Fast Track) three‑year program, which bundles college credit, internships and embedded certificates to speed graduation into high‑demand fields including mental‑health services.

University leaders told the committee they aim to increase engineering majors from roughly 300 to about 2,000 and stressed that most graduates remain in the region: "Eight out of ten of our graduates tell us they stay in the region," Neufeld said. They said those local retention rates underpin the case for continued state investment in higher education and campus‑adjacent housing.

Members of the Assembly said the campus expansions and workforce partnerships demonstrate how state funding for the California State University system translates to regional economic benefits. The university asked lawmakers to sustain investments and highlighted existing partnerships with community colleges, K‑12 districts and military installations (Camp Pendleton) that supply students, interns and working‑age adults with nondegree pathways.

Cal State San Marcos also described plans for an Integrated Science and Engineering Building and stressed partnerships with employers to align curriculum to employer needs. The campus said many programs — from nursing to cybersecurity and renewable energy — have been launched or expanded in the past three years based on employer advisory input.

Looking ahead, university leaders urged continued collaboration with state policymakers on housing and workforce supports that they said will increase social mobility and help supply local employers with job‑ready graduates.