Hi all, we’ve reached 5,190 signatures on this petition—thank you so much for your support!
And We Are Having a Positive Effect!
-- We have forced Jeff Armstrong and Dean Horgan to meet face-to-face with impacted groups on and off campus. They are having a difficult time convincing people that their proposal to build on Prime farmland has merit.
-- Armstrong and Horgan have now decided that the Farm Store is to be built on land between the Crops Unit and the Wine & Viticulture Center.
While this is a good outcome, their reactive shifting of building sites exposes their lack of a coherent, justifiable plan for additional building on campus. It also does NOT protect the West Campus farmland from further development.
Armstrong is touting that his current building proposal will only pave over 18 acres instead of the 30+ acres he wanted a few weeks ago. That is not a win. That is not a compromise. And it is an odd rationale for them to make because there wouldn’t be any building on farmland if they were honoring the Master Plan 2035 agreement.
The Latest Twist:
Armstrong has publicly stated that Year-Round Operation (YRO) is vital to the success of Cal Poly and that building on the west campus farmland is vital to the success of YRO.
Armstrong's YRO proposes 3 semesters per year to gain more students. This controversial plan is tenuous at best and his statements reveal that he is pursuing YRO without the facilities to support it.
We cannot let Prime farmland be sacrificed for YRO when alternate building sites are available.
For more details and the role of the Environmental Impact Report see the updated blog: https://lnkd.in/gfQtABPr
And read a powerful op-ed in AgAlert by one of our alumni: https://lnkd.in/gCaKFydK
There's more you can do: Let Armstrong and Horgan know that you will not be celebrating or donating to CAFES 125th Anniversary celebration until they commit (again) to not building on Cal Poly's farmland.
Thank you again!