PCC to Provide Library Branch a Temporary Home
August 9, 2012
Tucson, AZ -- The former Roberts Elementary School library will become the temporary home of the Eckstrom-Columbus Branch of the Pima County Public Library in the fall.
The Pima Community College Governing Board received information Wednesday that PCC is leasing space to the library while the branch’s permanent home is renovated beginning in late September.
In November, the Board approved a five-year lease of Roberts from the Tucson Unified School District. The lease between PCC and the library runs through March 2013.
The library, at 4350 E. 22nd St., is near Roberts, 4355 E. Calle Aurora. The Columbus branch will be housed in about 2,400 square feet of existing space in Roberts’ Library Building. In lieu of rent, the Pima County Public Library will make IT infrastructure improvements to the building.
“The College is committed to supporting the neighborhood surrounding Roberts in any way it can,” Board Chair Scott Stewart said after Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting. “The Eckstrom library is a great education and community resource, and we are happy to give it a temporary home.”
Roberts will house PCC Adult Education facilities and the Public Safety and Emergency Services Institute. PCC broke ground at a ceremony in February, when area residents, including members of the 29th Street Corridor Coalition, enthusiastically welcomed their new neighbor.
In other action at the August regular meeting, the Board approved the appointment of Brian Basgen as Acting Assistant Vice Chancellor for Information Technology. Mr. Basgen has served as PCC’s Acting Director for User Support Services for 14 months. He also has served as an IT system architect for six years, and has been an adjunct instructor for three years. Before coming to Pima, he worked for five years at EPIX Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Mass., as a senior systems and network administrator, and for two years at Seattle University in Macintosh support.
Mr. Basgen has a bachelor’s of arts degree in History and Philosophy from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, and a master’s of science degree in Information Technology Management from Trident University in Cypress, Calif.
Also, the Board received a presentation on the progress PCC has made in meeting the goals of the 2011-2013 College Plan.
PCC completed all 91 of the Action Items that were scheduled to be accomplished in 2011-12.
The 2011-2013 College Plan – a detailed blueprint of major activities designed to improve PCC’s service to students and the community -- consists of 182 Action Items, divided among five major initiatives. Among the highlights:
Initiative 1: Strengthen Developmental Education
- Established the PCC Prep Academy to further student success
Initiative 2: Improve the Overall Success of Student Learning
- Implemented a common course numbering system with the state’s community colleges and universities
Initiative 3: Enhance Course Delivery
- Improved instructional support of low-income, first-generation students through TRiO Upward Bound
Initiative 4: Expand Educational and Workforce Opportunities
- Held blood-donation and voter-registration drives to raise students’ civic awareness
Initiative 5: Enhance Operations
- Provided students with more information on costs and payment options, including a web-based Tuition Payment Plan Estimator
The Board’s next Regular Meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12 in Room J-GO5 of PCC’s West Campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road.
CONTACT:
C.J. Karamargin
Vice Chancellor for Public Information and Government Relations
(520) 206-4850
ckaramargin@pima.edu