| The
next ten years would bring continued growth and campus
expansion like none before in the college’s history.
The growth requires the college to lease space at the
Midway Building, YMCA, Armory, Central Junior High School
Auditorium and other public buildings. Enrollment
would top 2000 in 1967.
|
The
college celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1965-66
school year.
|
The
era would also mark the retirement of Marie Matte
and Louise Barthelemy. Matte served 42 years longer
than any employee in the college’s history.
She was the longtime adviser for the RAJUCO yearbook
and the Echo. Barthelemy taught 37 years serving for
30 years as the PTK advisor.
|
In
1965, the Minnesota Legislature authorized $1 million
combined with a federal match of $800,000 for a
new college campus. On January 10, 1967 ground
was broken for a new community college 160 acre
campus.
|
In
September 1968 classes began at the new campus with
four buildings including Endicott, Singley, the
Library, and Administration building.
|
A
new college campus brought an end to the Coffman Building
era and the home of RJC for 53 years.
|
| In
1970 Rockenbach Gym and the Classroom Office Building
known as Plaza West opens. The third phase of construction
including a college center and fine arts center along
with expansion of nursing, science and technology
space begins in 1971. The final phase of the
new campus began in 1974 and included a theatre building,
additional classrooms and offices. |
The
Rochester School Board made the decision to build
a Vocational Institute in 1966. The project
is led by former RJC staff member Emil Heintz.
The project creates debate over duplication and
sparks merger discussions that would continue for
the next 30 years.
|
Rochester
Vocational Institute opens its doors in 1969 with
14 courses.
|
Rochester
Vocational Institute’s early leadership included
Chuck Harwood, Fred Hodges, Dale Haugen, Betty Jo
Dorschner, Kathy Monnet, and a young faculty member
named Don Supalla.
|
John
Borg would graduate and go to Bemidi State University
where he was elected student senate president.
He later became a Hennepin County Judge.
|
Warren
Skarren graduated from RSJC and then served as the
student body president at Rice University.
He would go on to write screenplays for such movies
as Batman, Top Gun, Beetlejuce and Beverly Hills
Cop 2. Ford wrote a column in the Echo “Black
on Campus.”
|
|
Graduate
Wayne Ford was later elected to the Iowa State Legislature
and was featured in Dan Rather’s book “The
American Dream.”
|
Football
returned in 1968 under Cy Champa who would become
the college’s all time winning coach with
a career record of 142 wins, 20 loses and 3 ties.
|
Dean
Carlson would be one of the colleges first All American’s
in football and lead the team to it’s the Yellowjackets
first post season bowl appearance in the Wool Bowl
in 1969.
|
|
In
1969 the college lost another of its greats with the
death of Joe “Rocky” Rockenbach.
|
Faculty
member Walter Bateman publishes his 7th book.
|
In
1973
RSJC
becomes Rochester Community College.
|
The
Vocational Institute graduates its first class in
1970 with 140 graduates.
|
In
1974 the Vocational Institute changes its name and
becomes Rochester Area Vocational Technical Institute.
 |
The
college continues to grow and record number of students
graduate as the era of the new campus ends in 1974.
|
Timeline: 
