When De Anza College was built back in the 1960s, it was designed for 10,000 students. Currently enrollment is hovering around 20,000. By 2010, college administrators are counting on a student population approaching 32,000.

De Anza is going to need new instructional facilities and a lot more parking space. Accordingly, last November, the Foothill-De Anza Community College presented the proposed Measure E to local voters, asking for $248 million to do the very needed housework. Administrators cited new buildings to go up as well as repairs and renovations to old and outdated classrooms.

Measure E passed, and now De Anza has $130 million to work with.

First, they’re going to fix everything. That includes roofs, water lines, electrical wiring, and so forth, to make the campus safer and prettier.

Recently, there have been a number of town hall meetings and campus presentations on this topic.

In accordance with the Facilities Master Plan, several new buildings will be going up around campus. At the northwest corner they are planning what is currently being referred to as “Instructional Facility A,” which will likely house math and science programs.

“Instructional Facility B” will grow out of the east wall of the Flint Center and serve as a miniature version of the amphitheater, giving De Anza a new place for music and stage performances with seating for around 300.

“Instructional Facility C” will be planted out by the Environmental Science Area behind the baseball field. It should house the Life Sciences, and the project will include some new parking areas when the tennis courts are shunted west.

Currently De Anza’s multicultural components like STARS and SLAMS are scattered throughout the campus, and but these projects will be housed under one roof.

Many of the student services in Admissions and Records are slated to move to the Campus Center.

Immediate projects underway include: the relocation of faculty offices to parking lot A, Child Development Center ground breaking, and the scurtiny of the construction plans at Foothill College.

The total cost for all projects falling under Measure E plans is about ten percent over budget. However, by leveraging funds with state maintenance programs and with donations and grants from private parties, it’s expected that everything can get done. So no more leaky roofs, no more quirky air conditioning. For a little while, anyway.