YOUNGWOOD, PA – The Westmoreland County Community College board of trustees, at its meeting Wednesday, October 28, adopted a 10-year master facilities plan for the college.

The college retained JMZ Architects and Planners, a firm that specializes in college planning, in December 2008 to conduct a space-utilization and planning needs study that would lead to the development of a master facilities plan, which is one of the goals of the college’s strategic plan. 

Over several months, the JMZ planning team evaluated existing facilities at the Youngwood campus and the Bushy Run, Laurel, Mon Valley and Indiana County education centers as well as the Public Safety Training Center.  As part of the data collection and needs analysis process, they conducted interviews with students, faculty, staff and community leaders to document deficiencies and identify future needs.

They also conducted a comprehensive analysis of the “seat fill” utilization of classrooms, comparing the number of seats available in each classroom with the number of students enrolled for each class.

Jean Stark, a representative of JMZ, presented the master plan to the college community Wednesday prior to the board meeting.

“The space utilization study shows that we have enough capacity at the Youngwood campus if we more efficiently use classrooms and follow through on the renovations and modernization plan,” said WCCC President Daniel J. Obara.

While the master plan does not include the construction any new buildings, it does recommend the relocation of the technology and workforce training programs from the Business and Industry Center to an off-campus location. 

As authorized by the board in September, the college will retain an architect to conduct a feasibility study on leasing and renovating space at Sony Technology Center-Pittsburgh to house its equipment-intensive technology programs and provide expanded space for customized workforce training.

The programs that could be relocated to Sony, which is located just five miles from the Youngwood campus in East Huntingdon Township, include computer numerical control; drafting; electronics; heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration; machine technology; and robotics. 

The facilities plan also calls for extensive renovation to Founders Hall and improvements to the building’s electrical, mechanical and HVAC infrastructure.

Dr. Obara said, “The facilities master plan establishes goals for the renewal of the campus and the reallocation of existing space to meet the current and future needs of the college.”

Proposed renovations to Founders Hall include an expanded student center, a new welcome center, relocation of administrative offices to the second floor, upgrades to the science labs, and relocation of the faculty offices and the security office.  The College Learning Center and Learning Resources Center would be renovated and expanded.

In Commissioners Hall, the nursing program would be relocated and two new nursing labs would be created and a new lab would be added for the culinary arts program.

The Business and Industry Center, which would provide swing space while areas are under renovation, would eventually house the Campus Children’s Center, space for the art program and general classrooms.

“The master plan is a living document that’s designed to be a roadmap for the college as it grows,” said Stark.  “It’s not a prescriptive plan and in some cases the projects can be done in a different order, depending on the needs of the college.”  

Each renovation would be approved by the board of trustees on a project basis.

In other business, the board took the following action:

• Approved the purchase of 111 Dell Optiplex 760 microcomputers/equipment and software for $97,153.86 from Dell to upgrade several administrative areas, the library, Computer Resource Center and the Computer Learning Center.
• Awarded contracts for the purchase of the following for the Computer Technology Program and the Graphic Web Design Program: fiber optic equipment and supplies for $25,220.52 from Prepco Products; eight mobile work stations and seven table computers for $36,221.76 from Dell Computer; Cisco equipment for $38,424.45 from CDW-G; a vinyl graphics production finishing system for $17,250 from Tonas Graphics; two Macs, one Mac Pro, one Apple Cinema HD display and one Mac Book Pro for $12,844 from Apple Computer; and for the Medical Assisting Program, a blood draw system kit for $17,490.71 from Laerdal Medical.  The purchases are funded 100 percent by the Fiscal 2010 Carl Perkins Grant.
• Authorized the president, after approval from the college solicitor and the facilities committee, to execute a dark fiber license agreement granting an indefeasible right of use with Sunesys, LLC for the construction of a fiber optic telecommunications transport network to connect the New Kensington Education Center to the existing Youngwood campus fiber optic network.  The lease calls for a one-time payment of $100,000 and a monthly license fee of $2,500 per month for a period of 60 months.
• Authorized the president, after approval from the college solicitor, to execute a contract for the purchase of hardware, software and support services from Advanticom for $163,514.92.
• Awarded contracts for the printing and mailing of spring and summer 2010 continuing education mini-tabloids to Indiana Printing for $25,777.52.
• Approved a three-year waste removal agreement with Allied Waste Services beginning November 1 in the amount of $13,872 per year, which covers waste removal and recycling for the Youngwood campus buildings and the Bushy Run, Mon Valley and Indiana education centers.
• Awarded a contract for the purchase and installation of carpet for the library from Franklin Interiors for $94,500.  This purchase replaces the original carpeting installed when the college opened in 1970.
• Adopted a resolution in support of the American Graduation Initiative, a proposed federal legislation to strengthen community colleges.  This initiative has the support of Association of Community College Trustees, American Association Community Colleges, and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
• Approved the appointment of James H. Davis of Turtle Creek as coordinator of security effective November 2.
• Approved the appointment of Patrick R. Coulson of Lower Burrell as coordinator of the Bushy Run Education Center effective November 16.
• Approved the request of Vicki L. Marino of Lower Burrell, Tech Prep coordinator, to be released from her 2009-10 contract effective October 9.
• Approved the request of Robert R. Martin of Dunbar, coordinator/Municipal Police & Homeland Security Programs, to be released from his 2009-10 contract effective December 5.
• Approved the request of Julianne R. Metzger of North Huntingdon, Tech Prep coordinator, to be released from her 2009-10 contract effective October 20.
• Accepted the audit for fiscal year 2008-09 as presented.

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