Looking forward on campus construction

Development readies for 2018 completion

Todd Rosenblatt Roundup Reporter

Students and staff at Pierce College can look beyond the chain link fences around campus construction to see what the future holds for the campus.

There are 14 construction projects in progress, with eight additional projects in moratorium. Once the construction project is completed, Pierce will have more than a dozen new or renovated buildings, according to the September 2013 Los Angeles Community College District Building Program Monthly Progress Report.

Nelger Carrera / Roundup

REHEARSAL: Michele Selin, Mark Hein and Matti Lenora Werber rehearse on Monday Dec. 2, for “Itʼs a Wonderful life: A Live Radio Play” by Jooe Landay at the Pierce College Performing Art Complex, At Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

$15General Admission

Dec. 6 – 15

Performing Arts Complex

For tickets call: (818) 719-6488

LAPCTheatre.brownpapertickets.com

[See page 6 for full story | Slideshow online]

The Library/Learning Crossroads and Student Services buildings are two examples of what the future holds for the campus, according to Pierce President Kathleen Burke.

“[The campus] should have a unified look,” Burke said.

However it may take a while for this unified look to take shape, as 11 of the buildings under construction are part of the North of Mall project and currently have completion dates of around 2015.

In 2002, these projects were expected to be completed by 2006, according to the Addendum to the Los Angeles Pierce College 2010 Master Plan Update of the 2002 Master Plan.

When the report was published in July 2010 the project completion dates were pushed back to 2012.

Currently, these buildings are slated to be in use as early as 2015, according to the September Progress Report.

Although some projects, like the Digital Arts and Media building, are not expected to be in use until 2018, construction has already improved some parts of campus, according to Paula Paggi, chair of the Library Department.

Paggi is a fan of the new Library/ Learning Crossroads building, which is one of the 24 completed projects at Pierce.

“It’s just grand compared to the old building. The students find it very inviting,” she said.

Paggi has hope for the future of the campus and believes that once the remaining construction projects are completed, Pierce will have a unique look.

“It’s going to be really a fantastic place because we’re going to have a really good core with up-to-date smart classrooms and functioning areas,” Paggi said.

[See CONSTRUCTION, pg. 3]

Senator Cindy Herbst, who attended the FPPC meeting to advocate for a position within the American Sign Language department, was unhappy that her department was near the bottom of the list at number 39 of 48 positions.

“Would it be appropriate if we had a letter we wanted to send to Kathleen to add to the suggestive list she is gonna get from this committee, or is that not appropriate,” Herbst said.

Senator Constance Kocs, who is president of the FPPC, said that the agreement made with last year’s Senate president that was signed by Burke says that when the FPPC has created a prioritized list, that list will be forwarded to the president of Pierce College.

“That agreement almost excludes the Senate’s involvement,” Kocs said. “In response to that, I do not know if Kathleen would entertain recommendations or opinions coming from faculty. I cannot say that she would not.”

Traditionally, the Senate as a body determined whether or not it endorsed the list that comes from FPPC, and then it could send opinions or wishes to deviate from the list to the president according to Kocs.

“As a body, we should still try to have our hand in it,” Kocs said.

By default, cinema and history are the first two positions to be filled. Oborn said that according to an agreement years ago, if someone lost their new hires within their first year, they automatically get to replace them. If Burke decides to hire five new faculty members, the other positions that will be filled according to the list compiled by the FPPC are theater, geology 1 and English.