| PROJECTS
The Board of Trustees of the Antelope Valley Community College District evaluated the District?s most urgent and critical facility needs, including safety issues, enrollment growth, class availability, medical job training, college transfers and computer technology, in developing the scope of projects to be funded, as outlined in the Antelope Valley College Updated Facilities Master Plan, approved by the Board of Trustees on November 19, 2003, incorporated herein, and as shall be further amended from time to time. In developing the scope of projects the faculty, staff and students have prioritized the key needs so the most critical ones are addressed.
The Board conducted independent facilities evaluations and received public input and review in developing the scope of college facility projects to be funded, as listed in the Updated Facilities Master Plan which was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees. This input of faculty, community and business leaders concluded that if these needs were not addressed now, the problems would only get worse. In preparing the Updated Facilities Master Plan the Board of Trustees made four important determinations:
Antelope Valley College must expand its campuses and offer more classes due to the rapid growth of the area which has resulted in thousands of new students entering college each year;
Antelope Valley College must expand access to nursing, fire-fighting, law enforcement, emergency medical training, medical lab tech and other medical job training programs to help alleviate the local shortage of trained emergency medical and public safety personnel;
Antelope Valley College must provide facilities and classes for academic programs for students who want to transfer to four-year colleges; and
Antelope Valley College must keep-up with all forms of high-tech learning, such as computer, aerospace, engineering, vocational, English and math programs.
The Updated Facilities Master Plan is on file at the District's Office of the Superintendent/President, and includes the following projects:
ANTELOPE VALLEY COLLEGE
NEW JOB TRAINING AND ACADEMIC CLASSROOM PROJECTS
- Build a Science and Allied Health/Medical Training Facility:
This new facility will provide new classrooms and science labs to reduce overcrowding in the nursing, emergency medical training, medical lab tech programs and help relieve the serious shortage of nurses and health care professionals in the local area.
This facility will also expand the number of classrooms and labs for biology, physics, physical science, astronomy, geology, anthropology and archeology classes.
Build a High Technology Learning Center:
This facility will provide new classrooms, computer and language laboratories and smart classrooms for study of mathematics and computer science to prepare students for careers and degrees in math and technology jobs and professions.
- Build a Technology Building II:
This facility will provide new classrooms to reduce overcrowding in job training programs in electronics and in the training of public safety personnel in administration of justice, fire-fighting technology and police officer standards.
- Build an Automotive Technology Building:
This facility will provide adequate facilities for students who elect to pursue a career in automotive technology and collision repair.
- Build a Humanities and Social Science Building:
Due to increasing enrollment and shortages of classrooms for English, reading, math and language classes, construction of a humanities and social sciences building to accommodate humanities, behavioral sciences, social sciences and general academic studies classes necessary to transfer to a 4-year college.
EXPANSION/UPGRADING OF EXISTING CLASSROOM BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES TO REDUCE OVERCROWDING AND OFFER MORE CLASSES FOR JOB TRAINING AND UNIVERSITY TRANSFER
- Expand Campus Library to provide more computerized research areas, study areas and seminar space.
- Expand Child Development Center to better train teachers.
- Expand English as a Second Language Building to accommodate increased enrollment in ESL programs to aid in career development and college transfer.
- Expand Learning Center to allow for smaller class size and tutoring rooms.
CLASSROOM BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES
- Upgrade, Repair, Equip, Construct and/or Expand Student Center and Student Services Buildings:
Upgrade, repair, equip, and construct and/or expand student services buildings to include academic advisement centers, study areas, lecture/meeting/seminar rooms, disabled student services, computer hook-up and study areas, and other student support.
Build, upgrade and acquire college classrooms, facilities and sites to accommodate more students who want to enroll in classes and improve the quality of learning and expand academic and vocational learning opportunities, including facilities for the fine and performing arts, film, music, agriculture, horticulture, physical education facilities, and sites.
- Relocate maintenance and operations facility to make room for the construction of the new Science and Allied Health Center.
- Establish Antelope Valley College Education Center in Palmdale/South Valley Area to Accommodate Growth and Increasing Student Enrollment:
- Provide permanent classrooms, labs, job training and college transfer counseling buildings facilities in the Palmdale area, including the acquisition of a site(s) to allow local students greater access to an affordable education.
- Repair, Upgrade, and/or Replace Obsolete Classrooms, Science and Computer Labs, Instructional Facilities, Sites and Utilities:
Repair, upgrade, construct and/or replace deteriorating roofs, plumbing, sewer, water and gas lines, cabling, drainage, electrical systems, wiring, restrooms, heating, ventilation and cooling systems, telecommunication systems, security systems, fields and grounds, stadium, science laboratories, lecture halls, gym, and other instructional facilities, wire classrooms for computers and technology, increase safety, increase energy efficiency, reduce fire hazards, reduce operating costs so more classes and job training can be offered, improve academic instruction, and meet legal requirements for disabled access.
Safety and Security; Sites
- Improve pedestrian access routes across campus for safety.
- Improve campus safety and security by adding exterior lighting.
- Implement safety upgrades to relieve traffic flow and parking congestion; expand parking lots.
- Repair or replace outdated natural gas, water, sewer, storm drain systems.
- Acquire property to expand student capacity and parking.
- Improve emergency access and evacuation routes to improve student safety, redesign campus road network to eliminate dangerous intersections and unsafe conditions, reduce gridlock, improve pedestrian safety and increase access for emergency vehicles.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROJECTS
- Remove architectural barriers on campus to allow free access by disabled students as required by law.
- Repair and maintain deteriorating campus flooring, roofs, walls, windows, plumbing and electrical systems.
- Install new fire alarm and communication systems and energy efficient lighting.
- Reduce earthquake risks by seismic retrofitting older buildings.
- Upgrade water, sewer, mechanical, heating, ventilation and gas infrastructure to current safety codes.
- Upgrade central plant to maximize energy efficiency of heating and cooling campus; connect all buildings to the chiller loop.
- Refinance existing obligations to lower interest rate and increase funds available for instruction and ongoing maintenance of classrooms and buildings.
TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE PROJECTS
- Upgrade Internet and cable technology; improve distance learning; upgrade telecommunication systems; campus-wide technology upgrades, computers; replace outdated equipment; create ?smart classrooms? which can broadcast classes over the Internet.
Listed building, repair, and rehabilitation projects and upgrades will be completed as needed. Each project is assumed to include its share of furniture, equipment, architectural, engineering, and similar planning costs, construction management, and a customary contingency for unforeseen design and construction costs. The allocation of bond proceeds will be affected by the District's receipt of State bond funds and the final costs of each project. The budget for each project is an estimate and may be affected by factors beyond the District's control. The final cost of each project will be determined as plans are finalized, construction bids are awarded, and projects are completed.
The bond program is designed to provide facilities which will serve current and expected enrollment. In the event of an unexpected slowdown in development or enrollment of students at Antelope Valley College certain of the projects described above will be delayed or may not be completed. In such case, bond money will be spent on only the most essential of the projects listed above.
FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THE EXPENDITURE OF BOND MONEY ON THESE PROJECTS IS SUBJECT TO STRINGENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS. BY LAW, PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL AUDITS WILL BE PERFORMED ANNUALLY, AND ALL BOND EXPENDITURES WILL BE MONITORED BY AN INDEPENDENT CITIZENS? OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO ENSURE THAT FUNDS ARE SPENT AS PROMISED AND SPECIFIED. THE CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MUST INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, REPRESENTATION OF A BONA FIDE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION AND A SENIOR CITIZENS ORGANIZATION. NO DISTRICT EMPLOYEES OR VENDORS ARE ALLOWED TO SERVE ON THE CITIZENS' OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
NO ADMINISTRATOR SALARIES. PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THE BONDS AUTHORIZED BY THIS PROPOSITION SHALL BE USED ONLY FOR THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, OR REPLACEMENT OF COLLEGE FACILITIES, INCLUDING THE FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF COLLEGE FACILITIES, AND NOT FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE, INCLUDING FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATOR SALARIES AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES. BY LAW, ALL FUNDS CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
