SSCC votes to begin process of property acquisition for campus expansion WATCH THE VIDEO

The Southern State Community College Board of Trustees has voted to authorize a search and acquisition of property for possible expansion, after hearing a report regarding a college-wide facility assessment that shows SSCC’s South Campus in Fincastle would need nearly $3 million in improvements just to “bring it up to 2011/2012 standards.”

During the board’s regular meeting held May 25 at the Central Campus in Hillsboro, the board heard from KZF Design Inc. of Cincinnati. The engineering firm was hired by the board in 2010 to conduct an analysis of all four of SSCC’s campuses.

Mike Smith, Stephen Sendelbeck and Jason Snyder, all of KZF, presented the board with an executive summary of their findings over the last several months. They presented conclusions and possible scenarios for facility upgrades and expansions. They said they arrived at the conclusions after physical examinations of the buildings, interviews and detailed questionnaires with more than 50 staff and faculty members, and a survey filled out by students and staff/faculty/administration members.

Smith, Sendelbeck and Snyder repeatedly said that SSCC’s ability to cope with a more than 30-percent increase in student enrollment is to their credit, because they estimate that the facilities are a combined 20 percent too small to handle the size of Southern State’s student enrollment. While there may not be a dramatic increase in enrollment in coming years, Smith said, “We don’t see it decreasing.”

Examining each campus – Central, Fayette, North and South – the engineers outlined the facilities’ physical weaknesses, areas where structural and mechanical improvements are needed, and proposed long- and short-term plans for improvement of better utilization for the space.

SSCC currently has 250,000 square feet across the four campuses, and an estimated 303,240 square feet are needed to accommodate the college’s needs.

South Campus, which is the oldest of the campuses, would need upgrades that would cost an estimated $2.9 million to bring the facility up to today’s standards. The facility, which was built in 1975, would need a new roof, new HVAC system, electrical upgrades, structural upgrades to correct rusting reinforcements that are causing damage to bricks and masonry, and a system that would create better ventilation.

“The building isn’t going to fall down,” Smith said, but that the improvements were needed.

In response to the estimate, Brown County board member Paul Hall said, "You could buy most of that northern part of Brown County for 2.9 million."

Additionally, South Campus has its own private sewage treatment system that is “maxed out,” but still passes EPA inspections. Smith said an upgrade to the system would be needed to support any expansions.

In addition to the mechanical and structural improvements, it was suggested that changes be made so the building would have a better orientation for students and campus visitors, with a clear main entrance and a better traffic and parking system.

Smith said that the improvements were not necessarily adding to the education experience, but rather was just bringing the campus up to modern standards. Because the renovations would be a multi-million-dollar project, it was suggested the college also consider building a new campus in either Brown County or Adams County.

• Central Campus would need an estimated $1,050,000 to bring it up to standard. While much of the campus is in "satisfactory" or good condition, the buildings would need window repairs, some electrical upgrades, significantly more storage space, better space for faculty offices, a better student lounge area with some type of food service, significant improvements to the auditorium, removal of the seldom-used outdoor amphitheater, fixing drainage issues, smoke detector upgrades, and a significant number of electrical receptacles to supply growing technology uses. A system to log all equipment and systems, along with the implementation of a plan for their assessment and eventual replacement, was also suggested.

• Fayette Campus, which has undergone significant renovations in recent years, was praised as being a great facility that needed minor improvements. Some areas of concern included roofing issues and door repairs, at a cost of $157,000.

• North Campus in Wilmington will need an estimated $180,000 in repairs. While major mechanical and electrical systems were found to be in good order, a long-range plan for adding electric outlets is needed, along with addressing issues with a fence around the daycare area, tiled areas, and creating a better-flowing foyer area and student lounge area.

At most of the campuses, because they lack a common area for students to congregate, Sedelbeck said students were missing a critical part of the higher education experience. As students filter out of classes, currently they are going to their cars or leaving campus altogether instead of continuing in a sharing of ideas or seeking out professors.

A long-term plan of remaking the "front door" of central campus was suggested. Several options were presented, including a possible expansion for a student union type building in the front area where the amphitheater is currently located. It would house the bookstore, one-stop offices and a student lounge area and would lead into an area for faculty offices. A second alternative would have an expansion on the reverse side of the building off of the current LRC area.

Several suggestions for a better use of current facilities were also presented, like the purchase of a software system that catalogued each classroom space, when and how it was used; consideration of having each campus be a designated "academy" and concentrating areas of study. For instance, Fayette Campus would be dedicated to nursing, a separate campus dedicated to criminal justice, another campus dedicated to education, and having another dedicated for general classes, and administration offices.

The presentation lasted for more than an hour, and at its conclusion, board president Kay Ayres said, "You've certainly given us a lot to think about."

Following the presentation, the board entered into an executive session to discuss consideration of purchase of property and consideration of compensation of public employees.

The board was in executive session for an hour and a half. When they voted to enter back into executive session, the board voted to add consideration of a resolution to the agenda.

A motion to accept the following resolution was made by board member Leilani Popp:

"Whereas, Southern State Community College has concluded a college-wide facility assessment project which has identified the need for signifiant facility investments to meet the current and future needs of our students and communities, and whereas, the college is committed to providing accessible, affordable and high-quality education in the best possible educational enrollment for students within its service area, therefore, be it hereby resolved that the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees authorizes the president to investigate, research, negotiate and secure property for development consistent with the current and future needs and obligations of the college and subject to final approval of the board of trustees and the state controlling board."

Following the meeting, SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys said that he could not answer specific questions on the possible property acquisition, only that, "The resolution speaks for itself."