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The new Science Laboratory Building’s effect will be to decrease competition
in order to increase competition. In the old facilities, students competed
for limited seats in anatomy, physiology, chemistry and biology. In the new
science facilities, students will acquire the necessary preparation in
anatomy, physiology, chemistry and biology to compete for positions in a
world screaming for qualified new scientists, researchers and technicians.
“We have an exceptional opportunity to celebrate a new beginning for our
science departments with the groundbreaking of a new Science Laboratory
Building,” said Grossmont President Dr. Ted Martinez Jr. “The new building
will address our greatest need campus-wide: laboratory space and facilities
for our students.”
The 37,834-square-foot building will provide new laboratories and increase
capacity for chemistry and biology students as well as those studying
oceanography, geology and geography. Chemistry instructor Dr. Tom Olmstead
chaired the planning committee for the new building, that will also include
a science computer technology center and also room for biology models.
One of the most interested speakers at the groundbreaking was Grossmont
student Susan Austin. Her educational goal is to transition from a licensed
vocational nurse to registered nurse, and she knew how hard it was to get
the science classes she needed, and what the class availability will mean to
new prospective health professionals following behind her.
The new building will expand biology lab space by 50 percent. In the old
building there were three labs shared by environmental chemistry, forensic
chemistry, general chemistry and organic chemistry. The labs were also used
by the Earth Science Dept. The new building will increase the chemistry labs
from three to four and will be used to expand the existing chemistry lab
offerings. There will be a fifth lab designated for Earth Sciences.
As this is the was the first in a series of groundbreaking ceremonies for
new facilities planned for the Grossmont College campus, a set of
‘ceremonial’ shovels was painted gold by Tim Stottlemyer of the Maintenance
Department. He affixed an engraved brass plate with the date of the
groundbreaking to each shovel and will add to the line up as each future
groundbreaking takes place.
Completion of the almost-$20 million project is scheduled for October, 2006,
with first classes to be presented in the spring of 2007. The building is
funded with a combination of state bond fund revenue and local Prop R funds.
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