Following several years of study involving both lay and educational groups, the voters of the area approved the formation of the Grossmont Junior College District in an election held November 8, 1960. The first official organizational meeting of the Grossmont Junior College Governing Board was held July 1, 1961. The first college classes convened September 11, 1961 on the Monte Vista High School campus in Spring Valley with an opening enrollment of 1,538.
Bond elections to provide funds for the construction of a college campus were held October 10, 1961 and June 5, 1962. Although there was a healthy majority in favor of the bonds, neither election could secure the two-thirds majority needed for passage. On September 18, 1962, 73 percent of the voters approved a $7.5 million bond issue. With the passage of the bond election, the Governing Board moved to purchase a 135-acre site located on a scenic mesa in the Fletcher Hills area adjacent to the cities of El Cajon and La Mesa. Ground was broken for the new campus in December, 1963. Even before construction was completed, the administrative offices were moved to the new campus and classes were officially opened on September 14, 1964. On December 12 of that year, the campus was officially dedicated.
The first increment of the campus was planned to accommodate an enrollment of 2,500 day-time students, and the completed campus was expected to hold 4,800 students. On October 18, 1965, a second bond election for $3.5 million was passed by the voters in the area. Passage of this bond issue made it possible to complete the master plan. The new facilities were completed by September 25, 1967. Since that time, student enrollment has increased to a peak of over 16,000.
In the fall of 1978 Cuyamaca College opened. This is the second community college in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Cuyamaca College is located on a 165-acre site in the foothills, south of El Cajon, on Jamacha Boulevard. Because of state legislation in 1970, which changed the term "Junior College" in California codes to that of "Community College," the College became officially known as Grossmont Community College on January 6, 1971, when the Board of Education of the County of San Diego approved a petition from the Grossmont Junior College District requesting this change. On March 5, 1985, the Governing Board officially changed the name of the District to the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, thereby incorporating the name of our second campus in the title.
Last Updated: 10/24/2014
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