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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What are the most immediate facilities and equipment needs?

As one of the three ACsG requests of the board, what the most immediate needs in regard to facilities and equipment?

* What immediate improvements need to be made to the Ellwood building?
* What furniture and equipment needs are MOST urgent?
* What is the one thing you think is missing at Art Center in this regard?

22 comments:

jason said...

Better ventilation. This place gets toxic the last two weeks of school!

Space: Environmental students have a raw deal they walk from the parking lot to the Annex at least twice a day and they carry the largest models typically. This could be a planning fix I believe.

Printing. My first semester printing was free. Then we received a $60 credit now it's $30. At times it can be a absolute nightmare because it gets so backed up on the Tabloid laser printers. It's just easier to buy a printer.

Parking. This is one of the worst after space, in fact I've planned my education around when it's reasonable to park.

Budget: Students who produce models for sponsored projects shell out easily over one thousand dollars for a nice model this doesn't include printing of flat work. These classes are 15-20 people right now each student will get $800. I think the going rate for a sponsored project is 70K.

Temperature on the Hillside. It is burning up downstairs in the computer lab at 3am but it's cool outside. Why? Suggestion related to the Ellwood building: If the roof could be insulated better this would save tens of thousands of dollars annually. Replacing all the window as I've heard planning suggest seems a bit excessive considering all of the other ways they are planning on spending our money.

nstefanov said...

1-Definitely ventilation.

2-Rapid Prototyping - a decent fast 5 axis mill (this one is probably 20+yrs old)We can get a faster turnover - less waiting higher quality - better models. Many students put in a lot of detail that is eventually lost - they then have to outsource it and get charged thousands of $$ on top of tuition.

3-From a TRNS perspective - proper clay modelling tables that can also be used as presentation stands like @ CCS.

4-The building leaks everywhere.

5-The drywall in the Trans and Environmental senior studios need to be replaced in a couple of areas as they have been there for quite a while and I think they were never put up properly - some actually wobble and are not even. (Dont know about Prod and the rest)

5-Acadamics classes - tables chairs were always horrid


On a positive note - while I was @ ACCD the computer facilities were always good (for my needs).

Anonymous said...

AIR-CONDITIONING--fix it! 2 weeks without it in my room. The decrepit industrial fan, well past its prime, put in the room, is too loud to lecture over even on its lowest setting.

LIGHTING- we need lights which can be dimmed in media rooms.

TABLES- seminar tables with legs that are actually attached.

CHAIRS- Go through those rooms and eliminate or fix the MANY broken chairs that clog the spaces. Consider different chairs--these orange and blue ones need replacing, the are uncomfortable and seem to break easily.

PROJECTOR ROOMS: Rather than using the back projector rooms as miscellaneous storage (they are literally full of junk) clean them out and put in supplies that are needed for classes ( a stash of white board markers and chalk and erasers for example--if you don't bring your own you are out of luck. Some lockers in the projector room for faculty to use who are teaching that semester, and might want to bring up books and other materials that can be brought out regularly through the semester.

ACOUSTICS:
In downstairs lecture rooms we need to soundproof the ceilings--especially in room 119 which is almost unworkable due to noise from the shop.

Anonymous said...

The two major needs I see are parking and meeting space.

Anonymous said...

I have been told personally from the employees of: MODEL SHOP, 3D LAB, COMPUTER LAB that their budgets have been DRASTICALLY CUT.
As a result, you have a reduced number of computers in the main computer lab (132), with broken chairs (!). 3D lab and model construction depts have been forced to cut costs by charging students for everything that uses to be provided, down to the roll of tape and glue. People have been fired and salaries of model shop people not been raised for over 10 years (!). It comes down to this: You pay more and more, get crammed into classes with more students, and at the same time there are less funds made available to run the school.

Anonymous said...

Security:

I know for trusted source that nearly all the video cameras in the school DO NOT WORK. The camera in the large computer lab (132) does not work. The camera in the Composite room does not work.

As a result, we can't leave anything in a room because it might get stolen.

Anonymous said...

Facilities. Now here is a good reason for a task force. Where would you spend money first? The school probably doesn't have a huge pike of money in a secret stash anywhere to solve all the facility problems. But at least when the money/donations do come in, where should the money go and in what order. My guess is that a new expensive to maintain, high heat load structure with a designer label, with a stream of tourists filling the student parking spaces, won't be near the top. Basic things like studio space, AC, and more student focused space will all rank very highly.

Anonymous said...

i'm a product major and these things affect me the most

Printing: setting up more color tabloid size printers

3D Lab: better rapid prototype machines. the machines get backed up towards the end of term that a lot of people need to take their model somewhere else. i've had to pay an extra few hundreds just for "set up" cost for CNC at a local community college (art center's set up is free)

i can deal with poor lighting and hot temperature, but i'm concerned with the equipments that allow our work to be produce better and faster

Anonymous said...

PRINTING.

as someone who's discipline is 100% dependant on printed pages for making posters, books etc etc I need printing facilities that work. Also they are a rip off. 60 cents a page is outrageous. Especially when 2 out of 5 times there is a malfunction or error that doesn't give me a print out. Last week it took me 45 minutes to print out 5 sheets of 11x17 pages due to various errors and printing just not working.

We need these printers to be maintained better. Often than not the color is horrible, prints come out too dark or otherwise screwed up. Something in the chain needs to be looked at.

The tabloid printers are ALWAYS malfunctioning or postscripting for days. This is often a user fault, but the IT dept. needs to put together some FAQ's on printing and distribute it to the student body so people know what they should and shouldn't do. It shouldn't be the sole responsibility of the students to teach each other in the lab how to print things. I.E. don't send 1gb photoshop files to all 3 printers and then wonder why nothing comes out. We're smart people, if you tell us how this stuff works, and how to make the best use of the printing network we'll do it. Help us help you.

Last term, during week 13 i went down there to print something in the morning and ALL of the tabloids were offline. 2 needed toner, another was jammed. This is ridiculous.

We really need more than 3 tabloid printers on campus. Graphic Design should get their own facilities that are more affordable. The photo dept has it, why not us? It seems at 60 cents per copy you guys are making money off of the printing and that shouldn't be.

Lastly we need an IT dept that doesn't get annoyed when you ask them to help fix a problem. Yes I know you guys have a rough job, but its not our fault the printers don't work. Believe me, I don't like coming over to you guys and bugging you. Nor do i like showing up to class 20 mins late with half my homework printed out because thats the best I could get out of your facilities. Please help out by teaching people how to print and not screw up the network. It will make your job easier too.

Anonymous said...

"We really need more than 3 tabloid printers on campus. Graphic Design should get their own facilities that are more affordable. The photo dept has it, why not us? It seems at 60 cents per copy you guys are making money off of the printing and that shouldn't be. "

Btw, the photo dept pays $5 for 8x10 print and $9 for a 13x19 print because of ink. It's not THAT affordable. and the labs are not even open 24/7 like the computer labs.

I'd love it if the equipment room could fix the strobes and the other photo equipment there.. because half the stuff I check out for off campus to shoot, it's all broken in some way.

Parking lot is terrible.. the compact spaces are smaller than the normal compact spaces and I've already gotten myself into one parking lot accident.

Anonymous said...

Now that the master plan has been rejected, when will the architecture group be eliminated or reduced? That would be a great cost savings. The space as well could easily be converted into maybe 2 class rooms to help replace the annex that will come down soon. I think that space was originally classroom space anyway.

Anonymous said...

True. I have been in too many crappy rooms to see the architecture groups space get used to spend our tuition money and be happy about it. Can't wait till that space becomes usable classroom space.

Anonymous said...

ART CENTER's main computer lab (R132) has suffered from budget cuts. Over the 3 years I have attended the school, the number of computers in this lab has been REDUCED. There are now not only LESS computers available, but the PCs have not been updated for years, and are barely usable. Some of the seats in the lab are BROKEN, sometimes students have to use a defective computer, sitting on a BROKEN CHAIR.

And Koshalek wants to 'propel ACCD into the 21st century through high-tech'. It starts right here, Richard, right in this neglected computer lab.

Anonymous said...

The projectors installed in some classrooms litterally work 40% of the time, despite teachers' complaints and demand for repair.

What is a projector good for if it doesn't work?

Anonymous said...

FACILITIES: We want DEDICATED rooms. If you have to build a Moon Rover scale model and presentation material, and you have to put everything in another room (or trunk) at the end of class, that is an incredible loss of time and effort.

Anonymous said...

The Model Shop has suffered from budget cuts left an right.

Plenty of machines do not work at all, many broke down years ago and no money has been available to fix or replace them. Look into the 'metal fabrication room', not even the welding equipment works correctly.

What used to be provided now has to be purchased. We now have to buy our own tape and epoxy (I agree with that one though, for environmental reasons). In the end, we'll have to swipe a card to use machines? What about we shut down the model shop and everybody buys his own machines?

Anonymous said...

How about converting the presidents office into offices for student government and faculty council? At least some leadership and direction will then come out of that office. Besides now that he is hiding off campus he doesn't really use it anyway.

Anonymous said...

He could relocate to the Sinclair Pavilion then it would actually get used.

Anonymous said...

Why give the faculty council a place to meet? It took them 4 weeks to do anything I heard from a faculty. It's clear to me all they do is praise Richard which is why we have this mess.

Their statement to the board was inefficient and immature compared to the students. The board only gives you a couple hours a year and you waste their time with philosophy, not to mention I don't think they are accurately representing the people they represent but I'm just a student.

Just like all the irresponsible leadership who don't deserve their jobs. They will stand by and watch the tuition go up along with the debt of this school and then complain about tenure and not getting paid enough.

They get a "F" from me.

Anonymous said...

The innumerable paper towels that end in the trash in the bathrooms cost a ton of cash to buy, install, and dispose of, not to mention the environmental impact.

When is Art Center going to install electric air dryers? Yes they use power, but studies have shown their impact if a lot lower than paper towels.

So much for a school hosting glitzy 'green summits'

Anonymous said...

It's sad when the only things that motivate 90% of hese kids is the kind of paper towels and eating utensils the school has on-hand. If you only gave a damn about the quality of what you get back for your $45k per year.

Anonymous said...

to 12/31/08 11:56 AM,

don't assume anything about who is writing what. without a real name, you don't know if its a student or just someone who's really got it in for someone at ACCD.