2008 Woodie Awards
Auto teachers criticize facility
Jenny DuBois
Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: News
The opening of the new auto mechanics building at the PCC provides students with better technology in the classroom, but teachers and staff said it fails to deliver more than mediocre working conditions and equipment.
For a few semesters before Fall 2007, the auto classes met at the LAC as the new building was under construction. Now back to its original location, Gabor Vass, auto teacher for 13 years, said the new building is "only as good as what it has inside."
Gary Scott, acting dean of the Trade and Industrial Department and dean of Creative Arts and Applied Sciences, said, "It is a state-of-the-art building. I was there when the facility opened. Everyone seemed excited. This is the first I've heard of any discord."
Vass said the new structure is smaller in square footage, but has a better layout, allowing more cars to be worked on at the same time.
"We are still facing a lot of challenges," Vass said, "This is a really poor design and despite all the meetings we have attended to give our opinion, our input was not considered at all in the design of this building."
The building was promised to have newly painted floors before the move from LAC last Summer and after several requests, are finally being painted before the Fall semester starts.
"It's a waste of money. If they had just done it last year they would not have had to hire movers." Painting will cost about $120,000. "Now the last week of the Summer semester, my staff and students will be moving things out of the building that we don't want the movers to touch. It's ridiculous.
"When we get what we were promised, we will be happy. I won't believe any more promises until I see them happen," Vass said. "The new building is very nice, but nice is not as important as it being functional."
When talking about why the building was not painted before the move, Scott said a contractual issue arose and he assured the work would be completed before the Fall semester starts Aug. 18.
For a few semesters before Fall 2007, the auto classes met at the LAC as the new building was under construction. Now back to its original location, Gabor Vass, auto teacher for 13 years, said the new building is "only as good as what it has inside."
Gary Scott, acting dean of the Trade and Industrial Department and dean of Creative Arts and Applied Sciences, said, "It is a state-of-the-art building. I was there when the facility opened. Everyone seemed excited. This is the first I've heard of any discord."
Vass said the new structure is smaller in square footage, but has a better layout, allowing more cars to be worked on at the same time.
"We are still facing a lot of challenges," Vass said, "This is a really poor design and despite all the meetings we have attended to give our opinion, our input was not considered at all in the design of this building."
The building was promised to have newly painted floors before the move from LAC last Summer and after several requests, are finally being painted before the Fall semester starts.
"It's a waste of money. If they had just done it last year they would not have had to hire movers." Painting will cost about $120,000. "Now the last week of the Summer semester, my staff and students will be moving things out of the building that we don't want the movers to touch. It's ridiculous.
"When we get what we were promised, we will be happy. I won't believe any more promises until I see them happen," Vass said. "The new building is very nice, but nice is not as important as it being functional."
When talking about why the building was not painted before the move, Scott said a contractual issue arose and he assured the work would be completed before the Fall semester starts Aug. 18.
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