Unfinished center contrasts with others

Construction of Loftin Student Center is at a standstill and has been for almost two years.

Phase 1 of renovations, which included moving the student life offices to a corner of the second floor and a modernization of the interior, began Sept. 12, 2007. Funds were spent on specialty furniture, an information desk, building curved walls with bar-height laptop seating and a new paint job.

It was supposed to include a bookstore annex and game room before production halted.

The project cost $170,240 in student activity fees with an additional $198,000 from district’s 2006 Maintenance Tax Notes. The project total is $352,000.

John Strybos, vice chancellor of facilities, said they got a surprise once they pulled up the floor and also that the needs of the students changed. Student life Director Jorge Posadas said the floor was uneven and that would have blown the budget.

Posadas said the game room that was originally to go in the now vacant space on the south side of the first floor is now intended as a mini fitness room. He says that it’s hard to get into fitness classes and that the conditioning rooms are available only when there are no classes so it is difficult for students to find time to work out.

Since moving the arcade off the second floor, the video games and pool tables have occupied the north end of the cafeteria, adding to the cacophony.

A bookstore annex, conference room and a couple of student life offices also will occupy the space next to the fitness room. Posadas said he plans to have a few workout machines and mirrors added to the space. The cost has not been determined, but Posadas said that there are student activity fee funds available. Kinesiology Chair Bill Richardson said that if the fitness center will benefit students then that is fine. He added that there should be a monitor present to sign in students and ensure they are using the equipment properly so that they don’t get hurt. He added that students should wear workout clothes.

Posadas also plans to update the Fiesta Room by adding theater lighting, a sound booth and mini stage similar to a black box theater. A remodeled information booth under the stairway and new paint are also in the works to be added in Phase 2.

“We are trying to use every inch of the building,” he said.

Posadas said new plans are in place for Phase 2 and are awaiting a district architect’s designs. He said they have the $30,000 and at this point are just waiting for a draft of the blueprints. Then Strybos will send out bids. Right now, there is no completion date for the renovations to come.

“I hope it’s as soon as possible,” Posadas said. Strybos said that district architects are currently working on the project, but has no idea when the work will begin.

He said there are easily 10-15 events a week ranging from live entertainment, sporting events, workshops to fairs and karaoke free. The 22,028 students enrolled at this college pay $1 per credit hour in student activity fees.

Even with an uncompleted student center, there are an abundance of amenities. There are pingpong and pool tables, arcade games, big-screen TVs for video game use, and Bailey’s Cyber Café equipped with new Macintosh computers. The café is open until 5 p.m. except on Fridays when it closes at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re going to take care of them,” Posadas said. “We want to make sure that they get the best.”

A number of intramural sports teams are beating out some four-year universities in competition, the Student Government Association is active on- and off-campus and other student clubs and organizations are fundraising nonstop.

Still students are kicked out of the building by 6:50 p.m. even though cafeteria hours are from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and won’t be extended, Posadas said, because it would mean longer hours for housekeepers.

For information or suggestions, call student life at 486-0125.

Northwest Vista College

With the second largest number of enrolled students at 14,555, Northwest Vista College surrounds a tranquil lake. Students enjoy covered outdoor patios with a lake view, restaurant style booths indoor, carpeted lounges flooded with natural light and table seating in the Cypress Campus Center. Upstairs, students have access to an open computer lab, and across the lake, the Selrico food service offers a cyber café next to the library.

Kimaya Brewington, digital video and cinema production freshman, said she enjoys the overall design of the student center while she eats lunch.

“I love the high ceilings,” she said.

Music freshman Aaron Gamboa said he hangs out in the center to pass time in between classes.

Monday, in the Lago Vista Room, a larger version of the Fiesta Room, a blood drive representative tried to encourage students to participate.

In the student life office, psychology sophomore Ana Gaitan greets students with a smile and takes student ID photos.

“It’s just another one of the services that we are happy to provide,” Darryl Nettles coordinator of student leadership and activities, said. “It brings students in here.”

Nettles said while he is not complaining about the design of the student center, he would’ve done some things differently. He wishes that the office didn’t have walls separating his office from the front desk because he prefers to see students entering.

The college has movie and open mic nights, bowling and recreational sports. They even offer kayaking on the Guadalupe River and healthy cooking classes.

Nettles, former associate director of student life here, has been at Northwest Vista five years. Surprised to hear that renovations in Loftin were still uncompleted, Nettles said, “That’s unfortunate,” shaking his head.

St. Philip’s College

The oldest college in the district, St. Philip’s College, serves 10,282 students. The Turbon Student Center is the only free-standing student center in the district. The cafeteria, bookstore and even a post office are housed in the adjacent campus center building.

Inside Turbon is a lounge with booths, pool tables, a free-throw arcade game, Dance Dance Revolution and a jukebox.

The assistant coordinator of Turbon, Odyssey Dailey, said the peer-run center is staffed mostly by work-study students who assist their fellow students to bond and network.

She explained that only work-study students with 12 earned hours are allowed to work the reception desk. She said many students need help and advice that “seasoned” students can provide. The front desk sells half-price bus cards and assigns lockers in Turbon and the campus center.

There are big-screen cable TVs in front of lounge chairs, small offices with computers for the most active student organizations, such as the African-American Male Initiative, and their newly organized Student Government Association and even laptops for personal use.

Dailey said students respect the property in the center, and theft is not a problem. Closer to finals, tutors are available on request during mornings with the TVs allowed on only in the afternoon.

Downstairs is a lounge with tables and a take-one, leave-one library that was compiled from the director’s own collections and other students’ donations.

Dailey said GED students most frequently use the top row, which is filled with old textbooks that the bookstore won’t buy back.

Amber Logan, SGA president and healthcare administration sophomore, said many students come to school and then leave for work after class.

She and liberal arts sophomore Erika Ruiz said that they worry many students are unaware of the services available to them in Turbon, especially students at Southwest Campus on Quintana Road, a satellite campus of St. Philip’s.

That’s one of the reasons the association is reaching out to Southwest Campus looking for student representatives to join government.

Dailey said Turbon is open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday. She added that they have stayed open until 10 p.m. depending on activities.

Palo Alto College

The student center at Palo Alto College serves the student population of 8,304 and houses the cafeteria, department of public safety, health center, bookstore and bursar’s office. Walking into the building, students are greeted by large bulletin boards overfilled with fliers, glass cases dedicated to student leadership groups and an office door with SGA written in stars.

Around the corner are a cafeteria and student lounge with couches, bright yellow and orange walls and big LCD TVs. There is a small stage adjacent to the cafeteria for performances. Outdoors is a covered patio where liberal arts freshman Laura Guajardo studied quietly Monday afternoon.

In the office of student life, in a back office, other student organizations are provided office space and a 10-computer cyber café is available for students. Dr. Daniel Rodriguez, director of student life, said eventually, they hope to offer laptops for checkout.

Rodriguez said that a soccer field on campus will open soon after students showed an interest. He said that they usually give students a bracket system for teams but allow them to organize themselves.

He said they try to have as many activities as possible on the patio, such as performers or vendors.

“It’s a robust place,” Rodriguez said. “It’s always humming with activity.”

He said from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. is the busiest time. The student center is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday with early closing Friday.

Usually, the entertainment includes local and student bands, Lotteria, transfer and health fairs, Xbox tournaments, and most recently, a chess tournament. On Oct. 30, the college had a “Paloween” celebration in which Rodriguez estimates 175 students dressed up. A lucha libre pro wrestling event is planned for 5 p.m. Dec. 4 in the gymnasium.

A Palo Alto employee for 22 years, Rodriguez said that one of the most popular activities on campus is the Little Palominos Gift Tree Project for needy students to sign up for gifts while faculty and other students pick the gift wishes from the Christmas tree and purchase gifts for them. He said the college has a gift-wrapping event near the big tree for Christmas.

Rodriguez said the economy has created a boost in interest in the tree this year.

He showed off his flier- and photo-covered office door, including one of the Palomino sports mascot wearing a Palo Alto jersey. He said student services assistant Gabby Rangel helps him organize student activities and hinted that she may be the Palomino mascot.

Next semester, Rodriguez and Rangel are planning a hiking trip for student at Lost Maples State Natural Area in Bandera County. Also, in the works is a canoeing and camping trip.

Northeast Lakeview College

The district’s newest college, Northeast Lakeview, serves only 5,197 students yet keeps its doors open significantly longer than any other of the Alamo Colleges, closing at 10 p.m. The student commons contains a cafeteria, cyber café, second-story trellis terrace, student lounge with a pool table and an 88-seat lecture theater. There are also projector-ready conference and meeting rooms available for use by student organizations.

Crystal Willis, associate director of student activities, said that as the center has only been open two months, equipment is still being ordered, including two large panel TVs.

“It’s a privilege to be in a brand-new college, setting the bar,” Willis said.

She called the design “outstanding” and that Dr. Eric Reno, president of Northeast Lakeview along with the faculty and staff, all had a hand in the design.

She said the lounge is busiest 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cheryl LeGras, director of student development leadership and activities, said student development classes also meet in the building.

The student commons features student services offices flanking an open space where vendors or indoor fairs can be set up, LeGras said. Willis said that next fall, they hope to add intramural sports.