DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Cochise College students returned to classes on Monday across the county.
"Here at the Douglas campus, we're really excited about the new semester, because we are experiencing growth," said Douglas Campus Dean Abe Villarreal.
The growth is causing them to readjust spaces to make room and serve more students.
"This very room that we're in is a modified classroom that we split a big classroom and made it into two," Villarreal said."We're super excited that students are still choosing to come to campus to face to face classes."
A total of three classrooms are being added, each seating 24 students. Villarreal says the typical classrooms have 20 seats
"The three new classrooms are going to are going to meet the needs that we have right now, but we're always looking into the future," Villarreal said.
He says they realized they needed more space from past experiences.
"This last semester, every single classroom Monday to Thursday, from 7:30 to 1:30 was full," Villarreal said. "We did not have one physical classroom available, and so we want to be able to be in a position where we have classrooms available for not just academic purposes, but for booking event spaces as well."
Final enrollment numbers aren’t available yet, but early numbers have staff here optimistic.
"Right now, the trends look positive, and we look like we're slightly ahead from last academic year," Villarreal said.
One of the classrooms is ready, but the other two are expected to be usable this academic year.
The classrooms aren't the only project college staff have been working on this summer. The library staff are adding study spaces to the library.
Director of Library Services, Karly Scarbrough says there are only 3 private study rooms in the library and on the Douglas Campus.
"They're first come, first serve, and they're typically used throughout the day, so we just knew there was a need to have additional study spaces," she said.
In an effort to make more private study spaces available, they’re installing four single-person study pods.
"The study pods are going to be a library resource that really diversifies our space," said Librarian Archivist Ashlee Gray.
They're costing the college over $25,000, all of which being paid for by a state grant.
"We noticed that students who sat at large group tables didn't really want to share," Gray said. "Sometimes they would use them in a group setting, but usually it was one individual student to one large table."
Staff say the hope is for students to use them for online classes, taking tests, and times they need to be alone.
"We are housing people in a way," Gray said "We are that community center, that third space for students to hang out in between classes or hang out before they need to go home, a place to go when they're waiting for the bus, or just a place to study instead of their dorm rooms."
The pods are scheduled to arrive Monday and are scheduled to be installed later this week.
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