New West campus gets another upgrade
By Jessica Berget, Assistant Editor
Funding for this project was due in part by the province of British Columbia (who donated $2 million) and the college’s capital reserve (consisting of $8.5 million).
While the college remains relatively empty with few students walking its halls, many can look forward to seeing the newly renovated New West campus enrolment services when in-person classes start up again.
The $10.5 million upgrade to the college’s enrolment office which started last fall will now be a hub for all students including services from financial aid, counseling, accessibility, career services, and student recruitment. The 25,000-square-foot area will now include a welcoming floorplan, new furniture (like softer seats for those long study sessions), custom millwork, and self-service kiosks. There is also a testing centre where students doing assessment testing can write their exams in the newly dedicated space. The test centre will be able to hold up to 20 students and has individual exam writing stations and other aspects to help maintain academic integrity, according to the Douglas College website. Funding for this project was due in part by the province of British Columbia (who donated $2 million) and the college’s capital reserve (consisting of $8.5 million).
This is the second major renovation of the college; at the beginning of the year, the college opened its doors to the four-million dollar library renovation. The enrolment services renovation follows the college’s goal of making accessible and responsive learning environments for students, which is part of their 2020 to 2025 strategic plan. It was also designed to ensure there was a convenient space for all the needed resources to aid current and prospective students in using these services. The space was designed in mind of increasing visibility and easier access to these services. Douglas College President Kathy Denton expands further on these responsive and easily accessible learning environments and how it helps students. “The continuous enhancements being made to our facilities enable Douglas College to meet the needs of students now and for years to come,” said Denton. “By creating a learning environment that is adaptive, responsive, and forward-looking, we support our goal of graduating resilient global citizens with the knowledge and skills to adapt, innovate, and lead in a changing world.”
