One of Bakersfield College’s modernization projects has put a strain on the mathematics department.
The planetarium under construction in the Math and Science Building has some faculty members concerned because it has eaten up some of their classrooms. Math classrooms have had to be relocated to other buildings on campus, such as Levinson Hall, Language Arts and Student Services.
“It’s cut down our classroom space in the Math Department by three classrooms this semester,” said math professor Donna Starr.
The expansion of the planetarium has made it “difficult for the math faculty to accommodate all the students,” she said.
Starr said the department didn’t get much warning about the planetarium.
“We didn’t get a lot of warning before the decision already had been made that this was going to happen, she said.
“So we didn’t get to say our space is important, too, and this is what we’re using our space for because by the time it came to us, the decision was already made that if they got bids, they were going to do this.”
Some of the places math classes were relocated to were not designed for teaching. “It has affected us. It has affected the learning environment,” said mathematics chair Tom Greenwood. “Levinson 40 is not a classroom. It’s a conference room,” he said, pointing out where one of his math classrooms is this semester.
“It didn’t seem there was a lot of input from the math department in terms of where classes could go.”
Both Starr and Greenwood said it would be nice if everyone was in one area.
Starr said there are some new professors who she has only met once.
First day absences were also higher due to students not being able to find their classes.
“There was a lot of first day absences with people coming the second day saying, hey, I couldn’t find where I was supposed to be. Now I know where I am supposed to be, and then they were dropped and someone on the waitlist added in,” said Starr.
Greenwood said with the help of his dean, Dan O’ Conner, he was able to secure classrooms. “He has been very effective in terms of helping working with me so we can get things done.”
Astronomy Professor Nick Strobel, who is leading the expansion of the planetarium, said all the construction should be finished by the first weekend in December. “After the construction, then they started installing all the equipment,” he said. “So that’s the dome, which will take about four weeks, and then you add another couple weeks to put in the star projectors, another few days for seats. So, we’re probably looking right there at the beginning of spring semester … That’s assuming we get all the ducks in the row for all the installation.”
Strobel said, regarding the math faculty’s comments, he knew it was going to be a mess. “What I tried to do was let folks know what’s going on as best as I can. As far as construction, it’s out of my hands on that,” said Strobel.
“I don’t have an office, either. I’m temporarily in the library doing my stuff. I know some of the math faculty don’t have an office, so they’re homeless. We definitely have moved classes all around. It’s been a mess, but unfortunately that’s all part of the process,” he said.
Strobel said with the new planetarium, BC will be able to show more modern shows than with the old equipment. “We will be able to have more people in there, much more realistic simulation of the night sky. We’ll be able to take folks to various places in the galaxy. (We) couldn’t do that before,” he said.
The planetarium is not the only project that BC is undertaking.
BC has $115 million from Measure G and approximately $36.7 million which the college hopes will come as extra funding from the state to help with certain projects.
Some projects did not receive the extra financial backing from the state, such as a new Humanities Building and had to be put aside for an indefinite period of time. Currently there is $36,725,100 the college hopes to acquire from the state.
“The goal with the Measure G funds is to leverage them and match them with state dollars,” said BC president William Andrews.
“A plan was submitted to the state for funding for that. In other words, it didn’t make it on the bond. The reason that this college did not get approval at the state chancellor’s level is that we’re not utilizing the instructional space that we have at a high enough level right now,” Andrews said. “Early on when I came, I know I upset some students talking about that issue and more afternoon classes, but the reality is you will not qualify for state money for buildings.”
Andrews said BC’s capacity-load ratio was down in the “65-70 percent range when the Humanities Building was submitted a year ago.”
Andrews said BC’s capacity-load ratio needs to change before BC will qualify for state funds for a new building.
“If we’re not utilizing our instructional and lab facilities at at least the 90 percent level and preferably at 95 percent, we’ll never qualify for state funding for a building.”
Construction costs are another factor BC has dealt with.
“What we had hoped to do with all of that $180 million (as a district) of Measure G funds is impossible to do now,” Andrews said.
The money is not worth as much as it was in 2002, partly because of the fact construction costs have risen up to 60 percent, according Andrews. Andrews said it is because of the enormous growth in China and the growth in housing in the San Joaquin Valley.
According to BC Vice President Ken Meier, subcontractors for projects on campus have had there hands full with other projects around the county, which has made it difficult to keep timely construction schedules at BC.
Academic Senate President Mark Staller said the road to modernization has been a “rough and rocky” one.
He said the modernization has yet to impact the communications department, of which he is the chairperson.
One of the next projects to take place will be the modernization of the Student Services building.
“From a facilities perspective, the most significant one is going to be planning for vacating and relocating everything that is in the current Student Services building,” said Andrews.
“So we’ll be emptying 70,000 square feet and finding homes for everything that’s in there.”
Andrews wants BC to do some “long term planning,” such as purchasing land in west Bakersfield. That is allocated in Phase I of the project budget plan, and the college has $24 million allocated for this purchase.
Vice-President of Student Services Mildred Lavato is the head of the taskforce “of every interested party” that is helping decide on how the new Student Services building will look and how it will accommodate students. She said the college hopes to begin construction on the Student Services project by Summer 2006.
“It will be a one-stop shop for college students,” Lavato said. In regards to the moving of what currently is in the Student Services building while construction takes place, she said, “We don’t want to take up any space that would be used by students. We won’t be taking any classrooms in order to relocate.”
Having satellite centers closer to the majority of student housing will help students save money on other expenses like gas as well as contribute to higher enrollment rates because those centers will more readily available to students on the outskirts of town.
“We don’t want to build on every square foot of space on this campus,” Meier said.
Major projects are slated for the Delano area as well. In addition to the current two-building Delano center, the district has plans in the works to add a third by 2008. The district, in cooperation with the Delano-Joint Union High School District, has acquired 120 acres of declining almond trees. The districts will continue to harvest the almonds until construction starts. The idea is to have the third building of the Delano center adjacent to the new high school so that both schools could jointly use the planned gymnasium, library and class space. The project could potentially be funded with state-matched dollars.
The Delano Center in use now opened one week late.
“That is going to be a superb building,” Meier said.
Part of the modernization involves improving handicapped access.
Assistant Technology Specialist Adie Geiser, a quadriplegic who filed a lawsuit against BC over issues regarding handicapped access, said the administration is moving in the right direction as far as access for persons with disabilities. In the projected budget plan, it shows the college spent $88,791 on a vertical access survey.
“The college is moving in a positive direction,” he said. “There is a new level of awareness that has been recognized by more of the administration.”
He said his lawsuit was never about money to him. “It has been to improve access, educate and improve awareness. He mentioned the war in Iraq as an example. “People are losing arms and legs,” he said. “It’s good everybody has a better idea and awareness of people with disabilities.”
The lawsuit was finalized over the summer.
– News Editor Joshua Ayers contributed to this story