Butte College celebrated the grand opening of its new $73 million Science Building on August 15, 2025, in Butte Valley, California. This state-of-the-art facility aims to significantly enhance the educational experience for students, particularly those pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Expansion of Science Programs
The new building expands the college’s anatomy department, which previously offered cadaver classes just once a year. With the added space, Jill Terra, a biology professor, will now teach this essential course twice a year, utilizing two cadavers—one for dissection practice and another for reference. This change allows students to gain a more comprehensive understanding of human anatomy.
Professor Julie Jenks highlighted the department’s overall capacity, stating it is “doubling its capacity to teach.” She emphasized the importance of this expansion for students aspiring to enter the health care field. The facility is designed to accommodate more students, which is crucial given the increasing interest in STEM disciplines.
Director of facilities Kim Jones has been overseeing the building’s development since 2010. The new 77,000-square-foot structure features two stories, 21 specialized laboratories, and two classrooms dedicated to various scientific disciplines such as chemistry, biology, anatomy, and geology. It also includes a dedicated cadaver room, student and faculty workspaces, 38 faculty offices, and a 2,400-square-foot planetarium.
Addressing Student Demand
Butte College President Virginia Guleff noted that the institution had long faced challenges with class waitlists, remarking, “Our classes have had waitlists and have been impacted for a very long time. This allows us to really keep that waitlist in check.” Preliminary enrollment numbers indicate that approximately 1,200 students are majoring in STEM fields, comprising about 9% of the college’s total population of 14,000 students.
According to public relations officer Christian Gutierrez, about 2,500 students are expected to attend classes in the new building this fall. The college plans to hire seven new science faculty members to support the expanded curriculum.
The funding for this ambitious project was secured through Measure J, a $190 million bond approved by voters in 2016 to enhance facilities within the Butte-Glenn Community College District.
In the new classrooms, Chemistry professor Danielle Gray described an innovative “studio style” setup allowing for integrated learning experiences. This approach combines lecture and laboratory work into a single session, enabling professors to engage with students more effectively. “We can spend more time with students in longer chunks,” she explained.
Astronomy professor Jason Trento also expressed enthusiasm for the new planetarium, which offers students a unique opportunity to explore the cosmos. During the grand opening, Trento demonstrated how the facility can simulate journeys through the solar system, enhancing the learning experience and providing a deeper connection to astronomical concepts.
Reflecting on the college’s evolution, Oroville Mayor David Pittman reminisced about his own time as a student in the 1970s when Butte College consisted of just a few portable classrooms. “It’s come a long way,” he remarked, underscoring the significance of this new development for the community.
The opening of the Science Building marks a pivotal moment for Butte College, promising to enrich educational opportunities and better prepare students for successful careers in an increasingly competitive job market.
