Rachel Roth, Spring 2009 Staff Writer
The Nov. 4 election not only promised a change for the country, but also for Pierce College when Measure J, a $3.5 billion construction bond, was passed by 69.84 percent of the voters within Los Angeles Community College District boundaries.
Kelly Candaele, president of the LACCD board of trustees, was surprised by the “overwhelming support” of the bond.
“There was some concern that, because the economy was doing so poorly, there might be a little reluctance on the part of the voters,” he said. “It’s just an indication of how much belief and support there is for the community college system in Los Angeles.”
Candaele said the nearly 70-percent vote in favor of the bond was the highest percentage of votes received for all three bonds, including A and AA, which were approved by voters in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
“We are very, very excited that we got that (much support). We are very proud,” he said.
Board member Nancy Pearlman said, “The best celebration we’re going to be able to have is to see our colleges build out their master plans.”
Building into the future
The nine community colleges within L.A. County, one of the largest community college districts in the United States, will split the money from Measure J.
Candaele said the distribution of the $3.5 billion had to be stated during the bond process.
“By law, we had to outline, fairly precisely, where all of the money would go and list all of the potential projects for each campus,” he said.
The board tried to be “fair” with the allocation of the $3.5 billion. Some colleges, however, will receive more of the money because their need is greater than other colleges.
“There are some particular places where there might have been a little bit more of a (financial) commitment because of the age of the college or their size,” Candaele stated.
He listed Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, one of the older colleges in the LACCD, as one of the schools that will receive a “little bit” more of an allocation.
Candaele said there are still millions of dollars left from bonds A/AA, which totaled $2.2 billion. Once that money is spent, the funds from Measure J will be available.
“We’re going to be building well into the future,” he said. “We have the money now and it is going to mean so many more buildings for all of our colleges.”
What the passage of Measure J means for Pierce
Pierce will receive approximately $400 million of the funds from Measure J. Pierce President Robert Garber said plans for new facilities including a Library/Learning Resource Center, Green Technologies Building, Plant Facilities and Digital Arts and Media Building are already under way.
An update to the Performing Arts Building will bring improved rigging for the stage and a renovation to make the building ADA compliant.
New classrooms, roadways and landscaping are also included in the plans to update the campus.
One of the first projects to begin construction will be the new Library/Resource Center, a building Garber is particularly excited about.
“I’ve been very committed since I came to Pierce to build a new Library/Resource Center,” he said. “With today’s technology it really should be the heart of the campus and I think that every college and every institution should have a library that not only meets the needs of today’s students but is adaptable and acceptable for the future.”
Garber said the new library will include library services “done in a way that takes into account the technology of today,” as well as the Learning Resources Center, the Tutoring Center and an open computer lab. There will also be a distance-education facility where teachers can design and build online classes.
The new library will be located where the current cafeteria is, which means an end to the Country Cafe. Garber said the cafeteria – which loses “a couple hundred thousand dollars a year” – will be replaced by a food court with “brand-name food-service vendors.”
He also said the old library will likely be torn down and a new building will take its place because “the old library, because of its style, design and functionality is going to be hard to use in a very productive way.”
He estimates projects from both A/AA and Measure J will be completed within the next seven years.
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