PCC Earns Top Honor in Educational Facilities Management
May 25, 2012
Tucson, AZ – What do the University of California-Berkeley, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Pima Community College have in common?
Each institution has been honored with the prestigious Award of Excellence from the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, a national organization that promotes excellence in the management of educational facilities.
When PCC is presented the award this summer at the association’s annual conference in Denver, it will become just the third community college to receive it in the 24 years it has been given.
“We are deeply honored by this national recognition,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor William Ward, who oversees the College’s 1.7 million square feet of facilities. “To be one of only three community colleges to receive the award is an acknowledgement of the hard work of our facilities management team.”
APPA bestowed the first Award of Excellence in 1988. Since then, Harrisburg Area Community College and South Mountain Community College in Phoenix have been the only other community colleges to have won the award.
Award of Excellence candidates undergo a comprehensive evaluation to determine the role of facilities operations in the overall institutional mission and vision. Nominees are evaluated in the areas of leadership, strategic and operational planning, customer focus, information and analysis, development and management of human resources, process management and performance results.
An evaluation team conducted an extensive three-day site review of PCC to examine District facilities and to meet administrators, facilities professionals and customers. During this visit, the APPA team was briefed on the upcoming construction of the new addition to the Northwest Campus and the renovation activities to convert the former Roberts Elementary School into an adult education and public safety training institution.
PCC’s facilities are located throughout the Tucson area. They consist of six campuses, multiple learning centers and a District Office.
“The College has a staff of talented professionals who are dedicated to making sure that we provide our students and employees with the best possible educational facilities,” said Dr. David Bea, PCC’s Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. “The Award of Excellence from APPA is a testament to the superior quality of their work.”
Founded in 1914, APPA is a 5,200-member international network of educational facilities professionals that provides professional development, education, training and international credentialing to more than 1,500 learning institutions throughout the United States and internationally.
In addition to the University of California-Berkeley and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, past Award of Excellence winners include the Smithsonian Institution, University of Michigan, University of Oklahoma, Duke University and University of Florida.
CONTACT:
C.J. Karamargin
Vice Chancellor for Public Information and Government Relations
(520) 206-4850
ckaramargin@pima.edu