Two weeks ago, California Gov. Gavin Newsom released his May revised budget and included a proposal that electrified our region and raised our sights as we think about the future. He requested $433 million in one-time funds and $25 million in annual funding to fast-track the transformation of Humboldt State University into the first polytechnic institution for Northern California.

Initial reaction: Wow! This would be amazing.

After further consideration: Wow! This is even more amazing than we first thought. I hope our community partners are excited to join the effort.

This would be an incredible and bold investment, and not just for Humboldt State. The governor’s proposal to expand educational opportunities at Humboldt State is also about revitalizing the economy on the North Coast for decades to come. HSU’s enrollment would double within seven years, and then continue to grow. We would add new programs, meaning hiring new faculty and staff. New construction of academic buildings, lab facilities, and student housing would add hundreds of local jobs. We would extend our operations even further into local communities and work even more closely with them. Broadband expansion would also benefit local tribal communities, schools, and libraries, as well as enable new tech-centered employment.

Our focus, for now, is the state budget process. The governor’s proposal is being considered by the Legislature, and we are providing information and answering questions as they come.

Humboldt State is already, without this additional investment, the largest employer in Humboldt County. We have an estimated economic impact of $459 million in regional industry activity annually. So if the state makes this investment to quickly double our size, the ripple effect throughout the North Coast would be enormous. I expect the most significant impact would be a new dynamic and increased innovation in our regional economy. Current industries would have a broader talent pool. New businesses would start up or move in to take advantage of being located near a polytechnic. HSU’s close bond with College of the Redwoods would need to grow ever stronger as we worked together to meet the new demands.

From a state perspective, the rationale for such an investment is clear. It provides a much-needed boost to this region’s economy, and it does so by investing in a university that can help meet the state’s need for graduates in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math), address student equity gaps in STEM majors, and enhance applied research in climate resilience. California needs and has long wanted more STEM graduates to enter the workforce, and we are ready to help.

Humboldt State has been exploring the idea of becoming a polytechnic for the last year, at the request of the California State University. Hundreds of individuals — including faculty, staff, students, and community members — have been involved, and we have nearly finished a self-study to be formally submitted to the CSU Board of Trustees as early as September. It’s a momentous opportunity, and under the governor’s proposal, we can move quickly, rather than taking a decade or more to add the envisioned programs and research capacity.

We are well-positioned for the opportunity, given our similarity to existing polytechnics with our well-established focus on hands-on learning, high concentration of STEM programs, and strong grounding in the liberal arts.

We already have the third-highest percentage of STEM majors in the CSU and we are eighth nationwide among 660 master’s level universities for the rate of STEM students who go on to earn PhDs. And because of our campus diversity, we can play an important role in diversifying the STEM fields—- currently 56% of our STEM students are women and 40% are from underrepresented groups, which is significantly higher than nationwide.

We have outstanding programs in oceanography, environmental engineering, fisheries and wildlands, geology, and wildlife. We are a leader in renewable energy and have a longstanding commitment to sustainability. We will look to add STEM programs that build upon our distinctive focus, in areas like climate resiliency, wildfire management, engineering, technology, cybersecurity, health, energy systems engineering, sustainable agriculture, among others. We plan to create new degrees in high-demand areas such as mechanical engineering and software engineering.

These new programs and a formal designation as a polytechnic would attract students who already know they have an interest in the type of education we offer. It would provide increased access to more California students, many of whom now enroll in STEM programs in other states.

HSU has the capacity, the campus profile, and the strong programs that make us the perfect choice to become California’s third polytechnic institution.

We are grateful for the governor’s and chancellor’s willingness to share in this transformative vision. With the continued support of our close partners and our amazing community, this can happen. Be well.

Dr. Tom Jackson Jr. is the president of Humboldt State University.