By: John Coyle
In May 2005, Camden County College began putting a plan into action that would significantly change the look of the Blackwood campus. The plan includes new buildings, increased parking, and easier transportation on campus.
Since 1967, Camden County College has maintained a reputation for being in synch with the changing world of education. So it is no surprise that they have found new ways to stay on the cutting edge of modern proficiency. Over the next two years, the CCC Blackwood campus will be transformed to the advantage of students and faculty.
The eighty-three million dollar plan began in spring 2005, by renovating the Wilson Hall Center into a more customer-friendly records and registrations office. This made it easier for students to register for classes and made records more accessible to those who need them.
In April 2005, the Jefferson Hall’s third floor underwent renovations. These renovations included a new elevator tower, twenty faculty offices, and two classrooms. Also, in accordance with ADA regulations, the building is now wheelchair accessible.
The plan continued in August 2005, with the opening of the Community Center. The Community Center features students advisement offices, a bookstore, a new dining area, and a cyber café. The cyber café offers students a social place to study or just meet with friends. It also has several computer stations where students can browse the internet between classes.
The Madison Hall building has been drastically remodeled. It now features computer-equipped classrooms, stationary ceiling projectors, VCR/DVD players, document cameras, and stereo speakers. These changes will improve the way professors teacher their students by giving them an increased number of resources.
The Madison Connector building has been built to connect Madison hall with the Community Center. The Connector building also offers classrooms, offices, an amphitheater, and a lecture theater.
A road that will circle the perimeter of the campus will be built to make on-campus transportation less congested. The “ring road” will have a 10% increase on parking and cut down on traffic on campus.
A new science building will be constructed to elaborate the science department. It will support the teaching of new physical, life, and health science courses. Ronald Garbowski, the executive director of the Physical Plant, claimed that construction would begin in the summer of 2010. He also stated that it would take 18 to 20 months to be completed.
The college then plans on demolishing some of its older buildings to make way for new, more advanced learning centers. Seven buildings will be demolished. The buildings to be demolished include Washington Hall, Optical Clinic, Adams Hall, Wilson Center, Wilson East, Wilson West, and Roosevelt Hall. The Wilson buildings and Roosevelt Hall were constructed in 1950. Many of the classrooms and offices are out of date and do not give professors the ability to teach lessons to their full potential.
The three other buildings were built to be temporary when the school was founded in 1967. Due to lack of funds and higher priorities, the buildings were made more permanent and were continued to be used.
“I’m glad to hear that they’re knocking those buildings down.” said Drew Bradley, a student at the Blackwood campus. “I always hated having a class in them. The hallways are very narrow and most rooms barely have heat.”
The construction will be topped off with new, wide pathways that travel all over the campus and through the parking lot. There are also plans to re-landscape the grounds and place new trees all over campus.
Camden County College has always been a very impressive school. Soon, the Blackwood campus will be transformed into an even more extraordinary learning environment and will offer students more technology and resources they need to further educate themselves.