By David Morris
DESK JOB
By David Morris
In the heart of the Riverside Campus an old library is being gutted and renovated to become the new center for independent learning on campus.
The Martin Luther King Jr. building is becoming the new High Technology Center. It used to hold the antiquated library which has been moved to the Digital Library and Learning Resource Center.
Preliminary plans and working designs started back in 2002 and construction commenced in 2003.
According to the Facilities Master Plan, the High Tech Center will house approximately 31,000 square feet of instructional computer laboratories and technology support spaces. Lab Aid, Christian Poleynard said, that he was “stoked about the newer equipment and more available space for students to work.”
Nine disciplines will make their home at the High Tech Center, including English, World Languages, Computer Information Systems, Nursing, Math, Physical Science and Innovation Center. Each discipline will have their own specific software focused on that subject.
In a small corner on the first floor contains the Faculty Innovative Center to help instructors learn the new equipment and special software, for example Microsoft PowerPoint and web creation. It is dominated by a large center room with more then 180 computers.
The room can be split in two to accommodate special events and classes.
English Instructor, Thatcher Carter said “We need to have more space and we can’t accommodate them now.”
Each floor contains its own air conditioned network server with an extra server in the Advance Technology Center for the more advanced courses. Those computers contain dual processors and better tech equipment necessary for the required advanced classes.
The third floor houses two physical science labs and three new Macintosh computers dedicated to chemistry. Offices for faculty and a Math department tutoring area designed with the intent to revise and make changes to the interior to best accommodate the students. The Math lab will be used for teaching and lab hour credit.
Nursing also will be given special treatment, its computers will contain 120 different software’s important to its field.
The first floor will contain the English writing and reading lab, and World Language will have offices and a lab with glass cabinets to showcase cultural artifacts and literature.
Student Diana Alarcon addressed that there are so many students who need help and they need more dedicated tutors.
Student Helio Navarro took it a step further stating that “money should go to staff instead of football.”According to Wong, the students will never get a second rate job, if she is going to do it, she will do it right. The administration gave her full support with this project.
The new MLK building is set to open when the students walk on campus at the start of fall semester.