Thursday, July 22, 1999
Expansion beginning at Clermont College
BY TOM O'NEILL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BATAVIA — Reflecting the county's rapid growth over the past decade, the University of Cincinnati's Clermont College this week began anchoring girders on an expansion project that will double the size of the school.
Officials say the $10.3 million in improvements will enable the school to keep up with increasing demand, particularly from students interested in computer and biology studies.
The school, a two-year branch college of UC, opened in 1972 with 281 students. It now has 2,100.
That number would be higher, officials say, but for one reason: There's no place for more students.
Every classroom is filled and the college rents class space in Milford, Blanchester and Batavia, project manager John Childress said as he looked over the construction site in front of the existing structure.
The two new buildings will open in fall 2000. It is not known how much the student population will grow.
“This is important to UC and to Clermont,” said Mr. Childress of UC's Department of Construction Management. “We're trying to meet the demands of a growing work force.”
Indirectly, he was referring to people like Yong Keyes.
Ms. Keyes, an information technology major from Union Township in Clermont, said “the (current) science labs are a drawback” but that, overall, the college had many good opportunities.
And are about to get better.
When it is completed next year, the new Education Services building will house classrooms, computer and biology labs, a learning center and offices. The Student Services building will include classrooms, offices and a wide-range of student facilities.
The new structures will total 44,000
square feet. An additional chemistry lab also will move into the vacated biology lab at the current building.
The expansion will increase the number of classrooms to 32 from 20, laboratories to 19 from 14. Faculty offices, now 30, will grow to 50.
Project funding includes a $4.9 million loan from UC, $2.8 million from the state of Ohio, and $2.6 million from the college's internal operations. The loan will be paid back to UC using Clermont College's future state formula allocations and funds from operations.
Clermont College, which offers more than 50 associate degree, transfer and certificate programs, will offer two new programs in the fall: in Health Care Management and Computer System Support.
The college also plans to expand its Allied Health programs, which includes the Emergency Medical Services program for paramedics.
ABOUT CLERMONT COLLEGE
Established in 1972, the original campus was on a 62-acre site bought by a group of community leaders and organizations and donated to the University of Cincinnati.
Its original name was Clermont General & Technical College. The name was changed in 1987 to the University of Cincinnati Clermont College. It had 1,200 students then.
An additional 27 acres of land was bought in 1994, bringing the college's total to 92 acres.
It now has 2,100 students, 45 full-time faculty positions and more than 100 adjunct instructors. There are 70 college staff members.
Source: University of Cincinnati
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