Julie Simmons
In the middle of budget cutting, PJC has decided to remodel the board of trustees meeting room.
“Recently our board and the state approved our five year Capital Improvement Plan which totals more than 70 million dollars in new construction, renovation and remodeling,” said PJC President, Dr. Ed Meadows.
Peter Wilkin, the vice president of student affairs and dean of the college, thinks the room is a great step forward into the success of the college.
“This was not allocated from the money the state sends us for any other programs… the money received was for only building and renovating the college,” said Wilkin.
The budget cuts have been an overwhelming concern cutting back much of PJC’s money. However, the modernization of the trustee’s room didn’t come out of the college’s budget. The money came from a nonrecurring fund and can only be used for reconstructions and renovations of the college.
“The board (of trustees) room is one of the most important rooms at the college and one of the most heavily used,” said Meadows. “It is used by the community, the college foundation, faculty and staff, as well as student organizations for committee meetings, business meetings, receptions, and recognition events.”
The total cost of the new high-tech room was $100,000 and enables participation in video conferencing, webinar training, multi-media presentations and information retrieval. This type of technology also occurs in other areas of the college.
“It is used, by far, more by the (organizations) than by our board which meets once a month,” said Meadows. “It is my understanding that the board room had not been remodeled in over 15 years.”
The board room was scheduled in 2008 for new touches, and is used now amongst the college.
PJC also plans to renovate building 14 and building 1 on the Pensacola campus with the same fund. Wilkin predicts the new constructions will happen in “the next couple years.”