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Student services now under one roof
By Allison Bailey
abaile19@mscd.edu

Photo by Jason Small/jsmall4@mscd.edu Construction on the Central Classroom building began at the close of the Spring 2005 semester and was slated for completion before the first day of Fall classes.

The Central Classroom building underwent renovations over the summer in order to put all student services under one roof.

Rather than having to trek across campus to visit the registration office in one building, advising in another building and the financial aid office in a third, students will be able to find everything they need in one place.

“It’s just going to create an environment where it’s just one stop shopping for our students,” said Metro spokesperson Cathy Lucas.

The renovations have been planned since July 2005, but work started in early June of this year.

Most of the work done was moving equipment and furniture, as well as painting and remodeling.
According to Lucas, the testing center, advising offices, registration, immigrant services, tutoring, the bridge program, the Pace Setters Scholars, student support services and student intervention services will be moved to the first floor of the Central Classroom building.

The registrar’s office, graduation evaluation and veterans’ services will be on the second floor.
The project is expected to cost between $750,000 and $800,000, but not all the costs have come in, and budget negotiations with the Auraria Higher Education Center are still in progress.

Lucas said the idea is that not only will it be easier for students to enroll at Metro, but also that it will be easier for them to continue with classes and graduate.

“It’s all part of our strategic plan,” Lucas said. “This is a tactic to ensure students graduate. It’s really about retention and making it easier for students to graduate as well as making it easier for them to register and enroll.”

Auraria is planning a grand opening for the newly remodeled Central Classroom building for the first week of class, according to Lucas.

On Aug. 14, the Central Classroom building was mobbed with students standing in line at the financial aid and advising offices and new students going through the admission and enrollment process.

Michelle Pacheco, an intern in the admissions office, said the renovations are a good thing.

“We’ve had a lot of good comments about it,” she said. “It’s pretty much a one stop shop. Everything is in this building.”

Pacheco said so far it seemed like the process was much more convenient for students and rather than having to hike all the way down to the Tivoli for orientation, new students can now just walk down the hallway.

Pacheco also said she thought the renovations would make it easier for students to graduate and complete their goals at Metro, since all the services will now be in one place, making them much easier to locate.

In addition to a few new services and offices in the Central Classroom building, the renovations include a new color scheme and a new floor.

Work was still being done in some areas of the building Aug. 14, but the project is scheduled for completion in the next few weeks, according to Lucas.