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The Academic Senate (AS) voted to approve a Facilities Master Plan (FMP) at their meeting on Mar. 23. This plan includes a multitude of campus renovations, ranging from small duties like reorganizing campus areas to big construction developments such as additional buildings.

The planning for the FMP has been in the works since 2014. However, while AS has approved the plan, the final draft is still waiting to be passed by PCC. 

“Currently the college is reviewing the final draft of the FMP through its shared governance groups,” said Alex Boekelheide, a PCC spokesperson.

The FMP’s formal adoption will further be discussed and officially approved during a board of trustees meeting in May.

The plan is expected to be completed over a span of 10 to 15 years. The FMP will be kickstarted with the reconstruction of the U building, set to take place during the summer. Boekelhide has stated that despite the campus closure, there has not been word of delaying U-building construction. 

“[The U building] is going to house our nursing programs and our other health sciences programs, as well as natural sciences,” said Superintendent Erika Endrijonas. “It’s a replacement building… a lot of the health sciences programs currently located at the Foothill campus will go back into that building.”

The U building renovation has gained funding from a state bond. However, funding for the bulk of the FMP has not yet been obtained. The 10 to 15 year timeline is dependent on the timeline of receiving funding. 

“At a future date, the Board of Trustees would make a decision to go to voters to have a bond put on the ballot that could then be voted on by the voters of the district,” said Boekelhide. “If a bond were to come through, then that money would go ahead and make the FMP happen”

While the facilities bond is planned to be on the Nov. 2020 ballot, Endrijonas states they are reevaluating if this will be the right time to put their bond on the ballot, leaving much of the funding to be determined at a future date. 

The FMP contains further plans to renovate the C and R buildings, labs and classrooms in the D and E buildings and the planetarium and boiler house.

 In accordance with the FMP, the L, W, and V buildings are to be demolished. The purpose of demolition will be to reorganize and utilize space for new academic buildings and student services.

“Both of those facilities, [the new student service and academic buildings] will go a long way toward helping our students have some newer spaces to get services that could do a lot to improve how we serve our students,” said Boekelhide.

The pool will be relocated to the east side of the campus and joined by new lockers and a new STEM and Health Science building. There are also plans for a new quad, and other student communal spaces. 

The FMP also details a plan to extend Lot 4 and add additional parking spaces and a transportation plan on the west side of the campus. 

“We’re really confident that the work we’ve done is robust and has done a good job to understand everything that’s going on,” said Boekelhide. “There are going to be bits and pieces that we need to think more carefully about or go back for further analysis of, but in general the plan itself is pretty well solidified.”

Before the COVID-19 outbreak and closures, there were plans to introduce the FMP to the community to familiarize them with it and allow them to review and consider it through an on-campus event. This would have allowed the community to ask questions, give input and be informed.

Since its cancellation,  campus officials are working to create a virtual event in April that would have the same functions. Further information on a virtual event is to be announced.

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