On the spring quarter of 2007 the student body of EvCC approved the Student Campus Enhancement Fund by a popular vote. The enhancement fund project would improve many of the student spaces in the campus and would increase tuition fees in the future. However, over a year later, many of the improvements that were planned to be finished have not begun.

The projects that were advertised to finish or start by now are:

 Increased student parking - starting fall quarter 2007
 More quiet and group study spaces - starting fall quarter 2007
 Creating "park and pay" parking lots - opening fall quarter 2007
 Creating a student print and copy center - opening fall quarter 2007
 Renovating/expanding EvCC's cafeteria - opening fall quarter 2008
 Renovating ABC conference rooms - opening fall quarter 2008
 Remodeling the Parks building's bathrooms - opening fall quarter 2008
 Creating an EvCC bike station - opening fall quarter 2008
 More study spaces and other improvements to the library - opening fall quarter 2009
The projects that were advertised to finish in the future are:
 Building a new gym (40,000 square feet) - opening fall 2010
 Expanding the Parks building (6,000 square feet) - opening fall 2010
 Renovating/expanding the Northlight Gallery - opening fall 2010

Many of the projects associated with the Parks building that were advertised to open by this quarter have not started yet. Patrick Sisneros, associate vice president of administrative services and the main coordinator for the Student Campus Enhancement Fund project, said that the dates advertised in the spring of 2007 were only estimates based on the college's current model. Although all the projects are still going to be completed, some are going to be done differently than originally planned.

The Cafeteria

The original plan to renovate the cafeteria would have been to retrofit and renovate it, but not to move it anywhere. However when the college brought in their consultant they found that there wasn't much you could do with the cafeteria space to improve it. "It isn't structured in a way that's good for improvements and renovations," said Sisneros.

When the cafeteria was originally built it was meant to be part of EvCC's culinary program. However, the college no longer has that program and now uses the space as their cafeteria.

Instead of trying to improve the old space the college came up with the alternative of adding a bistro area between the Parks and Jackson buildings. This would be part of the expansion of the Parks building that is scheduled for 2010.

The bistro would seat 135 people. For comparison the MPR seats 120 people. However, it could seat more if it had more tables. In addition to the seating for 135 people the bistro would have outside seating. "The student reaction to the outside seating has been lukewarm though," Sisneros said.

The student senate also has some other worries about the planned bistro. Sarah Sandford, the ASB President, said that some are concerned that it is too expensive. Other students are worried that the area where the food is cooked and the area where the food is served is separated by one of the main hallways, so the food would have to be carted across one of the Parks hallways.
A food design consultant said that other campuses have worked with this setup, according to Sisneros.

The bistro is just one of many ideas that are floating around and Sisneros said that nothing is final right now.

Because it looks like the cafeteria will probably rearrange a lot of the Parks building, many of the projects planned to renovate Parks are being delayed. The additional study spaces, renovation of the ABC conference room, and renovation of the Parks bathrooms will not be completed until a definite plan has been decided on for the Parks building.

The MPR

Many of the plans that rearrange the Parks building change the MPR in some way.
For example, one of the proposed plans involved moving enrollment services into the MPR when the bistro was created, however the student senate has given a negative response to that idea. However "the overall goal is to increase student space" said Sisneros.
The Student Campus Enhancement Fund promised an additional 6,000 square feet of space, and they shouldn't take away current student space to provide it, said Sandford. The MPR is also important because it is a place where events can be held. Annually, about 70 events are usually held in the MPR, according to Sandford.

Sisneros said it is likely that the college is going to do something with the MPR when the Parks building plans are finalized. However, he doesn't know to what extent those plans will change it.

The Other Student Campus Enhancement Fund Projects

Many of the projects advertised have been completed as well.

The increased student parking is an ongoing project. The triangle lot, which just opened this quarter, is the first increase in parking. There will be more parking expansions in the future.

The copy and print center was added last year and the bike station is completed and will open next quarter.

Future Plans

Sisneros said that the current plan is to make sure the gym is finished, and then to scope out what needs to be done with the rest of the improvements.

The currents plans for the gym project a cost of $24,000,000, and that it will have an extra 10,000 square feet. It will be able to hold 33,000 people. It is currently scheduled to begin construction this July.
The other projects are still in the planning stage, and Sisneros said he is examining a number of possibilities. Because of the budget cuts and the delays the cafeteria planning has caused, the rest of the improvements might take longer to finish.
Sisneros said that he is going to continue to work with the student leadership to receive their input on the plans and changes to the projects.

He plans to have a definitive outline for the Parks building and the rest of the improvements by the end of the year.