New look on the horizon

Change is sweeping across Orange Coast College’s 164-acre campus.

After the passage of ballot Measure C in November 2002, OCC began

to formulate its new Academic Master Plan. That plan is now driving

the Facilities Master Plan, which has been crafted by the college’s

faculty and staff. Expertise and direction were supplied by the Hill

Partnership of Newport Beach. Architect Rush Hill, an Orange Coast

College graduate, knows the campus like the back of his hand.

In the next few years, many old buildings will come down across

the campus, and new ones will arise. A spectacular, 24-acre

quadrangle will materialize in the center of campus, surrounded by

large, impressive instructional facilities.

Several construction projects are now under way or have recently

been completed. Others will begin shortly. Assisted by Measure C

funding, the college expects to have all of its $250-million projects

completed by the year 2012.

Here’s what’s taking place:

* Last fall, OCC completed a remodel of 50-year-old LeBard

Stadium. The stadium was made handicapped accessible, and a new

state-of-the-art artificial surface -- FieldTurf -- was installed.

The field now accommodates football games and soccer matches. It is

used by Orange Coast and Golden West colleges, and also by local high

schools.

* Orange Coast also completed a new artificial-surface soccer

facility north of the stadium. The field was home to OCC’s men’s and

women’s soccer teams in the fall and is being used by high schools

this spring.

* Construction began last week on a project to convert the

four-story Watson Library into Watson Hall, an 80,000-square-foot

building that will house the college’s Student Affairs and Admissions

functions. Construction will take 18 months.

* OCC will break ground in June on a new Learning Resource Center.

The 89,000-square-foot building will be funded by the state of

California. At the same time, the college will initiate construction

on its 8,500-square-foot Arts Pavilion, which will contain two art

galleries and a cafe. The Arts Pavilion will sit between the

3-year-old Arts Center and the new Learning Resource Center. The

pavilion is being funded through private donations.

* The college will begin design of its 200,000-square-foot OCC

Hall and a new Student Union this spring. The buildings will occupy

land that presently accommodates the football practice field and

softball field. The five-story OCC Hall will house three academic

divisions and 80 classrooms. It will sit next to -- and will be

physically attached to -- the Student Union, which will contain a

cafeteria, student bookstore, snack bar, meeting rooms and

classrooms.

* The college has completed drawings for its new Fitness Center.

Construction will begin in the fall. The center will be at the

northern end of LeBard Stadium and will contain three locker rooms, a

weight room, an Exercise Science Laboratory and a multipurpose

classroom.

OCC is enjoying the most active period of construction in its

58-year history. Keep your eyes peeled ... things will be popping for

a while!

SPRING CLASSES

Spring classes begin on Monday, Jan. 31, and registration is

underway.

Applications are available in the Admissions Office. The office is

open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Fridays

from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Spring class schedules are available, free of charge, in the

Admissions Office. The schedule is also listed on the college’s Web

page (orangecoastcollege.com). Spring enrollment fees are $26 per

unit.

For spring application or registration information, call (714)

432-5072.

SPRING THEATER PRODUCTIONS

Seven productions -- highlighted by the Stephen

Schwartz/John-Michael Tebelak musical, “Godspell” -- will comprise

OCC’s exciting spring theater season.

The schedule begins with “Valentines From Vonnegut,” a production

that focuses on works by famed iconoclast, essayist and antiwar

activist Kurt Vonnegut. Produced by the college’s Repertory Theatre

Company, the show will run Feb. 12 to 13 and Feb. 18 to 20 in the

Drama Lab Studio.

A collection of hilarious short works, titled “Fractured Fairy

Tales,” will be staged by the Repertory Company March 4 to 6 in the

Drama Lab Studio. Theater students will direct.

“Godspell,” one of the biggest off-Broadway and Broadway musical

successes of the 20th century, will run March 10 to 13 and 17 to 20

in the Drama Lab Theatre. The show is directed by acclaimed Orange

County actress, singer and director Beth Hansen. Hansen piloted OCC’s

“Pippin” last spring.

“Tartuffe,” Moliere’s rollicking comedy about an odious impostor,

will be offered by the Rep April 7 to 10 in the Fine Arts

Amphitheater. Written by Moliere in 1664, “Tartuffe” was banned by

Louis XIV.

Marsha Norman’s riveting drama, “Night, Mother,” will be staged

April 15 to 17 and 22 to 24 in the Drama Lab Studio. The show, being

offered by the Rep Company, explores grief and the loss of hope

during a mother and daughter’s last night together. The play captured

a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award.

William Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Othello,” will run May 5 to 8 and

12 to 15 in the Drama Lab Theatre. The production, directed by Alex

Golson, will be open to high school audiences and the general public.

OCC will offer its annual “Spring One-Act Play Festival” May 18 to

22 in the Drama Lab Studio. More than a dozen student-directed

one-acts will be presented. The fest will include classic and modern

works, as well as original pieces by OCC students.

For information about OCC’s spring theater season -- or theater

classes -- call (714) 432-5640.

* JIM CARNETT is senior director of community relations at Orange

Coast College. He writes the biweekly On Campus at OCC Column. Reach

him at jcarnett@occ.cccd.edu or by calling (714) 432-5725.