Money matters “
We built a budget based on reduced enrollment numbers so there will not
KC enrollment drops; budget concerns trustees MAEGAN MITCHELL Senior Writer
KC and community colleges in general fared well financially during the last legislative session, President Bill Holda said. Holda has served as board chair for the Texas Association of Community Colleges and on the board for the past 18 years. In that position, he spent much of his time in Austin during the last legislative session
working to secure more funding for the 50 community colleges that are members of TACC. Holda testified at hearings, met with legislators and worked with other community college presidents and staff. “We added $178 million to the final budget from where we started in the legislative session, we negotiated a new bill pattern, went back to biennial distribution of funds and saw a number of problems resolved,” Holda said in an email interview. See HOLDA on Page 4
BY THE NUMBERS
$178 MILLION 18
How long Holda served as chair
7%
The Flare
1%
hours at KC
despite drop in enrolment
Friday, September 13, 2013 Vol. 77 No. 2
g n Brea ki down
KC President
Serving Kilgore College since 1936
the
house down after years of abandonment
KC
Web Editor
Sara Holmes / THE FLARE
“The day I was hired, Dr. Officials are Stewart McLaurin (at the making plans time Dean of Arts and Sciences, later president to demolish of KC) told me, ‘Don’t get the longcomfortable. We’re tearing building down,’” said vacant Liberal this Dr. Richard Harrison, dean Arts Building. of liberal & fine arts. “I continued to teach there While a for nearly 30 years before moving to the CA Building.” timeline hasn’t been set, they hope to The debate of whether begin razing the structure this fall. or not the building would be demolished has been “We have evacuated the building and underway for nearly 30 years. salvaged all of the things we have needed Not only was the building considered unstable, the from it,” said Dan Beach, director of absence of maintenance caused multiple problems. special projects and board liaison. For instance, the windows in one of the offices would Exactly what will happen next isn’t clear. not close all the way, so duct tape was “We are trying to gather some put on the edge of the window to keep preliminary information that will assist lizards from coming in. us in our efforts to release a bid to “I remember others telling me that remove the LA Building,” said President there was a lizard on my typewriter,” Bill Holda. “We are in dialogue with said Ginger Holley, professional support architects regarding the revision on our specialist. college master plan and any decision “You couldn’t close the window, regarding the future use of that property because the walls had been painted over will come from the advice in that study.” so many times,” she said. Besides tearing down the building, KC The LA Building has an underground administration has not decided what spring running beneath it and possibly comes next. an oil field slush pit. Because of this, the “The preliminary plan for the space whole building itself shifts. after the building is gone is to clear the “I remember turning off the lights area and make plans later in the future in my classroom and being able to see for the space.” Beach said. the sunlight come through the wall,” The Ivan Liberal Arts building, built Harrison said. March 1957, was once a place where The use of the space where the LA memories were made, laughter was Building is currently located could be shared and life was being lived. used as an overflow parking lot, or even The LA Building contained the a grassy common area for students to administrative offices, a library, an gather, instead of it being an eyesore to auditorium and 41 classrooms. the campus. In 1972, the LA Building was named Although the building is currently in after Martha Ivan, Teacher of the Year. the process of bidding for demolition, LA has been unused for many years; the memories will forever remain. however in 2008, the second floor was “We did have lots of fun in LA,” opened for classes as well as a small Harrison said. “We could joke and visit portion of the first floor. and really enjoy our job here.”
the
A CLOSER LOOK
Laura Hernandez / THE FLARE
A view of the
Temporary math & science classes
41 classrooms
& Destinye Turner / THE FLARE
Interior view
WHAT’S NEXT? have your own idea? Tell us on:
Sonia Garza / THE FLARE
a small