The city of Stockton, home to more than 300,000 people, may be the next California city to have a California State University campus of its own.

On January 10, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs and Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman announced in a press conference that the city would move forward with planning for a CSU in the city of Stockton.

And recently inaugurated Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a $2 million one-time General Fund for the Chancellor’s office to “undertake a review of a potential CSU campus in San Joaquin County, likely in Stockton” under the new state budget.

“We know that we have an established pathway to prison. That’s what we want to change. Close a prison, open a university. We have turned the pathway of the city and this county around with hard work, with blood, sweat and tears and sacrifices,” said Eggman to the press.

The state budget proposal said San Joaquin County has a need for a CSU expansion because of the increasing number of students in need of higher education.

“It’s a huge deal, it signals intent,” said Tubbs in the press conference. “We’ll spend the next year really figuring out what’s the process, what’s the plan.”

According to Tubbs, the region surrounding and including Stockton is the second largest metro area in the country without one institution of public higher education.

“Honestly, if Stockton had a good CSU, I think it would be highly beneficial to not only myself but the residents as well,” said Alyssa Gonzales, a Sacramento State student. “I feel like people who attend our local community college, San Joaquin Delta College, often feel “stuck” and left with a few variety of schools to transfer to.”

Gonzales lives in Stockton and said she chose to transfer to Sac State from Delta College because it was most convenient for her while still offering the resources she needs to pursue her educational goals.

The closest CSU campuses to Stockton, CSU Stanislaus in Turlock and Sac State, are each about an hour commute. But most CSUs like Sonoma State, San Francisco State, Chico and East Bay are more than two hours away.

“I chose Sac State because it was close and affordable,” said Izaac Ochoa, a Sac State student. “If there were a CSU Stockton l probably would have decided to go there because of its proximity to my life.”

Eggman said there’s still a lot of work to be done but feels confident in the community’s leadership.

“The CSU’s job is to educate the next population of people who are going to be working and living and dreaming and making California great and that investment needs to be here,” said Eggman.