Chapter Three

Data from Other Planning Activities

As mentioned in the Chapter One, the basis for this Facilities Master Plan is the Educational Master Plan that was approved by the Governing Board in January, 2000. Outlined in the Educational Master Plan was framework or overview statement regarding facilities as well as goals and strategies that were to serve as the basis for facility master planning. The framework (overview), as related to facilities, for formulating goals and strategies was as follows:

Based on the research conducted and the projections for the next ten years, it would appear (by state standards) that Gavilan’s present assignable square footage (ASF) for the instructional program (lecture and laboratory space) will be sufficient to accommodate the growth associated with student population of 8,000. This does not necessarily suggest that the available ASF is configured in a manner that is suitable for delivering the educational experience of the future. Renovation and reconfiguration of available square footage, therefore, will become an increasingly important strategy to accommodate the future growth of the instructional program. Greater facility utilization must also take place. In addition to increased classes on weekends, full five-day scheduling, with much greater utilization of the afternoon and evening hours, must be a high priority. In summary, growth will need to be accommodated through better facility utilization and the reconfiguration of instructional space that is overstated relative to its current use.

The plans for new allied health, adaptive physical education, and child development buildings should be actualized and brought to completion. High on the priority list for new construction in the future should be a "one-stop" facility that could adequately house all student support services. Additionally, on campus provisions for a centralized computer learning and tutoring center is a high priority. Provision should also be made to address the office space needs of the Administrative Services Division, the Admissions and Records Office, and the Financial Aid Office. Additional space is needed for the Maintenance/Physical Plant/Warehouse operations as well. The table "Building Requirements to Meet the Needs of 8,000 Students" (Table 37, Chapter IV) of the educational master plan support these facility expansions, along with those of data processing and health services, as new construction needs over the next ten years.

With regard to infrastructure, air conditioning remains a very high priority. If full-time facility utilization is to be a goal for accommodating the future growth of the college, the instructional and support services buildings should be air-conditioned.

Infrastructure to support the telecommunications and computer-assisted educational needs of the college will also be important, requiring constant vigilance and upgrading over the next ten years. Last, but not least, is the need to have current and updated laboratory equipment and resources that are both sufficient for conducting modern day experiments and competitive with what other community colleges offer to students seeking educational excellence in the sciences.

Some of the key strategies included in the Educational Master Plan were as follows:

    1. Establish a fully developed multimedia arts lab…
    2. Expand the tutoring center facilities
    3. Establish a new, college-wide open computer learning/tutoring center
    4. Develop an ESL learning lab
    5. Develop an integrated reading/writing lab
    6. Locate the Community Media Access Program Partnership (CMAP)…
    7. Establish a cultural center for the fine arts
    8. Develop "smart" classrooms in each instructional building…
    9. Develop a "one-stop" facility that can adequately house all student support services.
    10. Seek and obtain funding for the college through a local bond measure.

In addition to the overview statement and strategies, the committee also reviewed the enrollment projections and analysis of present and future facility needs as presented in the Educational Master Plan. Key factors included in this analysis were as follows:

    1. The 10-year master plan for college facilities will accommodate an enrollment of 8,000 students.
    2. The facilities plan should also have provisions for accommodating a long-term student enrollment greater than 8,000 students.
    3. The 10-year projection of space for the college indicates that little, if any, additional lecture, laboratory and office space is needed on the campus to accommodate 8,000 students (See Capacity Load Ratios).
    4. Based on the capacity load ratios, remodel and renovation of existing space should be the approach taken to provide modern, technologically responsive facilities for 8,000 students.
    5. A well-defined entrance to the college needs to be an integral part of any proposed master plan.