Overcrowding, inadéquat
By Happie Thacker
Of The Print
Overcrowding and mainten
ance problems are the major
causes of dissatisfaction with
many of the College's present
building facilities.
Many of the structures are
filled to capacity, with class
schedule juggling a necessity for
getting all the students into all
the classes they want and need to
take.
In the science department es
pecially, the overcrowded condi
tions are such that they hamper
the education processes.
"We have 24 chairs in a space,
that by state standards, is ade
quate for 12," said Virginia We
ber, chairperson of the life sci
ence department.
There is no preparation area
and no place to store and care
for plants and specimens that
science courses need, she said.
This lack of storage area also
hampers students who wish to go
beyond classroom instruction and
experiment with science projects
of their own, simply because
there is no place to store these
projects when students are not
working on them.
"The science department has
a good staff and good equip
ment," Weber said, "but it cer
tainly must be discouraging to
come over and look at the fa
cilities."
According to Howard Fry-
ett, assistant to the College's
president, it is not only transfer
students who are discouraged
by the facilities, but also students
who are involved in two-year
occupational curriculums, such
as nursing and wastewater tech
nology, that need science to fi
nish their degree programs.
The auto body, auto mecha
nics and welding curriculums are
also suffering due to a lack of
space.
At this time, there are classes
being conducted in these areas
from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. in order
to make maximum use of the pre
sent facilities. But even with
this concentrated scheduling, the
College is unable to meet enroll
ment demands.
"People have to wait a year
to get into the program," said
Larry Noonan, ch airperson, of the
auto department. "Many of these
people get discouraged and go to
other colleges."
Expansion of the auto body
and welding departments into
new facilities would also free the
areas they re now occupying for
other uses. One of these pro
posed changes is the consolida
tion of the home economics and
human services areas, both of
which are suffering from over
crowding, lack of proper teaching
facilities and lack of storage.
The home economics depart
ment, in particular, has had to
cancel classes because of inade
quate facilities, according to El
eanor Stubbs,, chairperson of
home economics and education.
There is no room for a cloth
ing construction lab so students
who do not own sewing machines
can take sewing classes. There is
also no place to hold classes in
food preparation and experimen
tation, Stubbs said-
Since home economics and the
human services departments use
similar facilities and materials,
they would share the area that
is now used for administrative
offices after Barlow Hall is re
modeled.
"Home economics and human
services are the only places that
don't have a home," Stubbs said.
"Larry Forsythe (department
chairperson of human services)
skips from class to class be
cause they are scattered all over
campus."
Maintenance problems are al
so causing problems in some of
the older classrooms.
The science department, for
example, has.been housed for
12 y ears i n what was su pposed to
be temporary structures. Plywood
has been used in several places
tQ cover the holes in the walls,
which, according to Weber, are
now rotting from the inside.
"The facilities are being held
together with bandaids," Weber
said, "and the school is putting
out a tremendous amount of
money in maintenance costs."
There is even physical danger
to those using the buildings. This
became apparent after Loren
Studer, chemistry instructor, fell
through a floor that had rotted
away.
clay.
"Others can hardly H
room when clay is beingj
Travers said. "ThatJ
can't be done durinL
but must be done duifl
hours."
1
Another problem ¡fl
ing kiln for ceramics. Acl
to Norm Bursheim, art ini
tor, the kiln poses a serio|
hazard and needs to be |
in a brick building sed
from the rest of the art cert
"Moving the kiln wouli
open up the present kiln i
for much needed addfl
classroom space," he said.
However, most of |
department is happy wiffi
present building -they
want it finished into a|
usable structure. One 1
easy to clean, well equip«
’The (science) facilities are 8
held together with band-aid!
Although the concrete floors
in the Smuckers Art Center are
not in danger of rotting away,
water has caused difficulty there,
too.
According to Nancy Travers,
ceramics instructor, lastfall's rains
caused the bottom floor to flood
four times.
"I had to put boards across
the cement foundation blocks
just to walk around," Travers
said. "The water must have been
at least 18 inches deep."
The rough floors are also hard
to clean which creates a dust
from the clay that is being used
in rooms with insufficient venti
lation. This creates a problem
for those who must share the
space with those working with
easy to clean, well equippt
accessable.
After all, Bursheim®
will be 10 years befofl
get a new building andL/a
as well make the befl
one. After we're done™
could be put to goon
others as a communifl
ter or something.
]
From using buildinfl
by the community toffl
the community with®
that are no longer adefl
college has come, a I m
Now if only needs tolbe
pleted in such a way fl
meet the needs of its stu
and a rapidly growing coil
ity io fulfill its intended^
as a community college!
Overcrowded lab conditions are resulting in an inability for stuc
and faculty to explore individual experiments or follow throin
many others.
Page 6
Thursday, March 30,1