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College Plans Local Multi-Million Dollar Expansion
By Robert Lee Long
DeSoto Times Today
Bids on a planned $1.4 million expansion and renovation project at the Northwest Mississippi Community College-University of Mississippi DeSoto Center site will be accepted in May.
The Northwest Community College Board of Trustees Thursday approved plans for a 13,000 square-foot expansion of the DeSoto Center basement area and renovation of classrooms on the third floor.
On Monday, April 16, DeSoto County supervisors earmarked $500,000 toward the projector roughly, a third of the cost of the expansion.
"It's (DeSoto Center) a treasure and a blessing in DeSoto County," District 4 Supervisor Allen Latimer said Monday. "The DeSoto Center has opened up so many economic opportunities for us," he said. "It's really been a tool to attract business and industry. If somebody is going to open up a new business or industry, they know they will have the opportunity to have an educated work force."
In August of 2006, University of Mississippi officials pledged to contribute a third of the project's cost. Both Northwest and The University of Mississippi jointly used the space at the DeSoto Center as satellite campuses.
"We added a 47,000 square-foot expansion in 2005, and we thought that would serve us for five years," DeSoto Center Dean Richie Lawson said Monday. "We didn't make it," he said. "We have reported continuous growth in the 11 years we have been at the Church Road location."
Plans call for the expansion of the library, six classrooms, (two for 40 students and four for 35 students), one new computer lab of 24 new computers, nine faculty offices, public restrooms, staff restrooms and a work area.
"We are taking three existing classrooms in the recently completed addition, and turning them into science labs," Lawson said. "That will give us four science labs in that wing."
Northwest Director of Public Relations Nancy Patterson said the joint "2 Plus 2" educational program initiated by the two schools is indicative of the growing partnership in the community to improve higher education.
A student can enroll in any given major at Northwest and complete a four-year degree at the University of Mississippi as part of the initiative. The 2 Plus 2 Scholarship program has benefited from community support, she said.
"We continue to see individuals and corporations support that initiative," Patterson said.
Northwest, which has set attendance records for the past 10 years, registered 2,681 day and evening students last year, an increase of 246 students from the fall of 2005. Ole Miss enrollment has also increased exponentially.
Dr. Bonnie Buntin, dean of the Ole Miss campus, said she is excited about the expansion, the second major expansion at the DeSoto Center in the past five years.
"The plans look great," Buntin said.
In 2005, work began on a $6.1 million addition at the DeSoto Center. The 47,000-square-foot addition includes 25 classrooms, two science laboratories, two computer labs and two distance learning labs which will allow interactive video classes. Students at DeSoto Center are able to take part in classes taught at other locations, such as the Ole Miss campus in Oxford.
Both Northwest and the University of Mississippi committed $1 million each to that project. The state added $2 million and DeSoto County government promised up to $3.5 million for a total of $7.5 million.