Funds sought for joint campus focused on green jobs(via Scott Wong - The Arizona Republic)Mayor Phil Gordon is seeking federal stimulus money for a joint community college and charter high-school campus in downtown Phoenix focused on training students for green jobs.Gordon made his case this week during a conference call with Vice President Joe Biden and other local officials from around the country to discuss how the disbursement of stimulus funds is working for cities and counties.And last week, the mayor and Linda Thor, president of Rio Salado College, pitched the campus proposal to top officials in the U.S. Energy and Education departments during a trip to Washington.The Green Phoenix Learning Campus, part of the mayor's green initiative, would sit on the 2 1/2-acre site of the Rio Salado Adult Learning Center, now housed in temporary trailers and dated buildings at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Fillmore Street.The school, which could open by fall 2010 if funding is available, would offer curriculum focused on green architecture and construction, renewable energy, alternative fuels and environmental sciences.The concept sprouted earlier this year shortly after Gordon rolled out his "Green Phoenix" plan to make the city an environmental leader.Maricopa Community Colleges Chancellor Rufus Glasper approached the mayor, Thor said, and suggested the college system's downtown Rio Salado site might provide an opportunity for the city to realize some of its green education goals."We're very early," Thor said. "But it's also a very exciting time for us to expand the services that we're already providing to that community and also support the mayor's bigger vision."Rio Salado already has allocated up to $4 million for new construction at the site, though it's unclear how much stimulus money would be needed to make the green project a reality. Phoenix and Rio Salado will be applying for competitive stimulus grants from several federal departments in the coming weeks."We're getting serious about it," said Bill Scheel, a senior aide to Gordon. "We have a real project here."To find out about the latest green jobs in your town please click here |