Campus repairs: Several parking lots were patched over the summer, in addition to adding way-finding signs and replacing lights with more efficient fixtures. Pavilion’s hot water tanks were upgraded to smaller, more energy-efficient units, and the HVAC units were replaced.
Auxiliary Services: The Auxiliary services building will be condensed to avoid and alleviate numerous health and safety issues. The new facility will be located by Orca Field and will condense the mailroom, copying facilities, and shipping and receiving in order to reduce off-campus travel by facilities staff.
Budget concerns: Whatcom’s budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year has been further reduced by about fifteen percent. Teachers are being paid less, tuition is likely to go up, and the Work Study program has been suspended. Class sizes are being expanded in order to save money. Fortunately, the Work Study program has been replaced by the Work for Study program, a series of part-time, hourly paid jobs for students. The Turning Point program will continue through the fall as better options are sought for the funding. Hours in many service desks have been reduced to save money, and the conversion of high-demand programs, such as the Massage Practitioner program, will be directly covered by tuition.
