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Comprehensive Standard 3.11.3

The institution operates and maintains physical facilities, both on and off campus, that appropriately serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. (Physical facilities)

aCompliance ___Partial Compliance ___Non-Compliance

Narrative:

Lawson State Community College operates and maintains physical facilities that appropriately serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. The College has two campuses: The Birmingham Campus located at 3060 Wilson Road, Birmingham, Alabama, and the Bessemer Campus located at 1100 9^th Ave SW, Bessemer, Alabama. The college maintains over 635,268 square feet of total building facilities. Of this total, over 455,385 square feet or 72% is allocated for instructional and student use. The college also manages and maintains a fleet of 40 vehicles including 2 buses.

The Facilities department utilizes several committees and planning documents in the yearly planning cycle to create a working plan for the department. This Plan supports the Mission Statement of the College to “provide accessible quality educational opportunities, promote economic growth and enhance the quality of life for people in its service area” as it provides the framework for making decisions about future facilities and/or equipment.

· Unit Plans

· Facilities Planning Committee - minutes

· Ad-hoc committees - minutes

· Administrative Facilities planning meetings - minutes

· Campus Master Plan

The facilities department combines all of the committee’s recommendations, planning documents, and maintenance requests to manage the day-to-day operations of the department.

The responsibility for the general oversight of physical resources that is associated with the Facilities Department lies with Vice President of the division of Administrative and Student Services. The organizational structure requires the Direct Director of Facilities, located on the Birmingham Campus, to report to the divisional Vice President. The Assistant Director of Facilities, located on the Bessemer Campus reports directly to the Director. Together, the Director and Assistant Director manage the day-to-day operations of facilities, the vehicle fleet, with the President playing a key role in decision making and prioritization of facility upgrades, renewals and replacements.

The college utilizes bids for contract services that include plumbing, electrical, HVAC, painting and renovations, custodial services, projects to assure access to services and adherence to the State of Alabama Law requirements. All construction, renovation and alteration projects over $250,000.00 require approval by the Alabama State Board of Education policy 501.01. State Board approval for the purchase/acquisition of any plant asset requires documentation of sufficient budget and justification of needs. The State of Alabama Building Commission requires all projects at state owned colleges to secure additional approvals for major construction and renovation projects. Licensed certified architects are required by the State Building Commission.

The facilities department utilizes in-house employees and contractual services to serve the needs of the college’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities as follows:

Campus Master Planning
Construction Management
Custodial services
Deferred Maintenance
Event set-ups
Grounds services / Landscaping
Moving
Preventative Maintenance
Project management
Routine maintenance
Shipping and receiving
Vehicle fleet management and maintenance

Maintenance and repairs expenditures are monitored and used for justification for replacement based on service/cost history accumulation.

Lawson State also maintains control over the use of facilities by outside community groups. Policies and procedures governing the reservation and use of college owned facilities are addressed by State Board Policy 512.01. Lawson State Community College requires a Campus Event form be submitted by any faculty, staff, student or community group/individual to reserve the request and use college facilities. The Campus Activity Request Form provides the college with information about the use of the facility, the space required, the need for equipment and security concerns.

Documentation:

Documentation	Location
Birmingham Campus Map	Birmingham Campus
Bessemer Campus Map	Bessemer Campus
Mission Statement	Mission Statement
Unit Plan	Unit Plans
Planning Committee – minutes	minutes
Ad-hoc Committee – minutes	minutes
Administrative Committee – minutes	minutes
Maintenance Request	maintenance request
Organizational Structure Campus Master Plan	organizational structure
501.01 Construction, Renovation, and Alterations	501.01
Campus Master Plan	Campus Master Planning
Custodial Services	Custodial services
Event Set-up	Event set-ups
Preventative Maintenance	Preventative Maintenance
Routine Maintenance	Routine maintenance
Vehicle Maintenance	Vehicle fleet management and maintenance
512.01 Non-Instructional use of Instructional Facilities	512.01
Campus Activity Form	Campus Activity Request Form