Welcome to the De Anza makeover show!
This week’s installment features the state of the art Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies, the brand new Student and Community Services building, a Writing and Reading Center and new PE facilities and athletic fields.
This summer’s construction completes the four major construction projects on campus, according to De Anza’s quarterly measure E update.
For more information on the Kirsch Center, see page 5.
Student and Community Services
The Student and Community Services Building is now fully operational. The grand opening will be held on Oct. 26.
The first floor houses Admissions and Records and the Cashier’s Office, offering easier access with employees available behind desks instead of through an opaque window. New and faster computers will shorten waiting time. There are also new computers available for students to use for admissions and registration.
Across from Admissions and Records, through glass walls and doors, students can find the new bookstore.
The first floor also holds the Testing Center, Disability Support Services and Veterans Affairs.
Fulfilling the community part of its name, the first floor of the building is also home to Community Education and Short Courses and Cooperative Education.
On the second floor, aside from a view overlooking students in line for the cashier’s office, the building holds the counseling center, now with a spacious waiting room. To the left, behind weaving wooden walls, students can find the career center.
The upstairs level also holds the Transfer Center, the Student Success and Retention Service Center, the Office of Diversity, Puente and the Student Resource Center.
Students can find a complete list of the services in the building at http://www.deanza.edu/news/newbuildings.html.
The building is located between the Advanced Technology Center and Staff Lot A. It has entrances at the interior and exterior sides of campus.
And best of all, it has clean bathrooms.
Writing and Reading Center
The Writing and Reading Center is a brand new addition to the campus.
Located in Science Center 3, the program opens today and will host reading, peer editing and creative writing groups. Campus events such as poetry slams and visiting speaker roundtables will be featured at the center. Also, there will be a faculty and student author bookshelf.
In-person individual or drop-in tutoring is available to all students but priority will be given to ESL and development level English students.
In addition, the Online Writing Assistance Center enables students to post questions and essays and get online tutor responses. According to the web site, http://faculty.deanza.fhda.edu/writingcenter, the philosophy is "help the student, not the paper."
Although the online center plans to serve all students, priority will be given to students enrolled in distance learning and evening classes.
The writing and reading center will work with adjunct skills classes and offer workshops on topics ranging from time management to grammar, spelling and vocabulary.
To actually lure students in, the center will offer couch seating and coffee.
PE facilities and athletic fields
The grass on the soccer field was ruined by fungus, said Jackie Harvey, Athletic Division administrative assistant. The ground was not level, causing puddles that didn’t drain correctly and dangerous spots.
Over the summer, construction crews completed a brand new synthetic turf soccer field. Also, a new softball field is in the works set to be completed in November. Previously, the soccer and softball fields shared a location.
The tennis courts were moved to make room for the Kirsch Center and have been rebuilt. They will open next week.
The locker rooms were rebuilt and additional home team rooms were added to create an "equitable situation" for the men’s and women’s athletic teams, said Harvey. Previously, the men’s teams had three team rooms while the women’s teams had one "tiny" room. This change meets Title IX requirements.
The physical education building also boasts a new Athletic Training Room and Wellness Center. The center now has a testing area and office space.
"It’s [the Wellness Center] smaller and it’s a little more workable," said Harvey.
Over the summer, the gym floors were refurbished, the walls were painted and the ceilings fixed. The Creative Arts Department and the Physical Education Department will share the gym, formerly the Wellness Center location, for dance and aerobics classes.
De Anza’s president and vice presidents are relocating to the OTI building while the Admissions and Records Building is under construction.
The Financial Aid Satellite Office has been relocated to the upstairs level of the Hinson Campus Center. The mailroom is in the former bookstore and the Math and Science Division Office is in SEM 10.
Other programs formerly in the Admissions and Records Building relocated to the Mod Quad and Forum 6.
