Another semester, another four months of hearing drills, hammering and trucks backing up as we walk to class at American River College.
It’s been almost two years since construction of the new STEM Facility (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) started at ARC. While construction to the building is in progress, it’s also making life as a student difficult around campus.
As work on the construction goes on, more of the campus gets blocked off, making it harder to get to class on time.
The STEM facility is set to be finished in 2020, but the wait feels everlasting. It’s as if the ARC Academic Senate made the decision that would cause the most frustration for students in the long run on purpose.
While the new STEM facility may be beneficial for students who come to ARC in the future, it’s hurting the current students attending today. Loud noises as students try to work, waiting for trucks to drive by and dust and dirt flying in the air makes for a less tolerable environment as the construction goes on.
It’s as if our beloved campus has turned into a busy road in downtown that’s under construction. That’s exactly how it feels right now coming to school every day and it’s been like that for far too long now.
Some students only have 10 minutes to get from one class to the next. For example, walking to the Arts & Science building from the Portable Village while construction continues isn’t easy.
Having class in Davies Hall in the middle of the day can be bothersome. Students are trying to do their work, but they are constantly hearing the loud sounds of construction coming from outside the windows. These sounds can last the entire class period.
Part of the parking lot in front of Davies Hall has been blocked off, giving students less spots to park on campus. It is forcing more students to park away from the college and taking an even longer walk to get to class.
It’s not just students who are fed up with the ongoing construction, some professors who teach here aren’t happy with the added struggles.
For example, some professors struggle with getting to their classroom because of the need to walk around the construction work.
Most classes have been moved to the portables that are in Parking Lot B, which also took away more parking spots. Teaching a math class in the Arts & Science building or the portables in Parking Lot B isn’t ideal for some professors teaching here.
It feels all of this could’ve been handled better by the college’s Academic Senate ; this is the group that decided on the new STEM Facility.
Yes, the construction needed to be done, but they could’ve scheduled a more appropriate time than during lecture hours.
The STEM facility could still very well be helpful for students and professors once it’s completed and ready to use. However, the never ending wait for this building to finally be finished is just dragging out.
Perhaps the only positive we could get from this is that we’ll all at least get good exercise from all the extra walking. Other than that, the 2019 fall semester is looking to be another long and noisy one.
