LIFE SCIENCES
Appendix F8: Facilities Requests
Audience: Facilities Committee, Administrators
Purpose: To be read and responded to by Facilities Committee.
Background: Following the completion of the 2012 Chabot College Facility Master Plan, the Facilities
Committee (FC) has begun the task of re-prioritizing Measure B Bond budgets to better align with current
needs. The FC has identified approximately $18M in budgets to be used to meet capital improvement
needs on the Chabot College campus. Discussion in the FC includes holding some funds for a year or two
to be used as match if and when the State again funds capital projects, and to fund smaller projects that
will directly assist our strategic goal. The FC has determined that although some of the college's greatest
needs involving new facilities cannot be met with this limited amount of funding, there are many smaller
pressing needs that could be addressed. The kinds of projects that can be legally funded with bond
dollars include the "repairing, constructing, acquiring, equipping of classrooms, labs, sites and facilities."
Do NOT use this form for equipment or supply requests.
Instructions: Please fill in the following as needed to justify your requests.If requesting more than one
facilities project, please rank order your requests.
Brief Title of Request (Project Name): Biology facilities
Building/Location: 2100
Description of the facility project. Please be as specific as possible.
Building 2100 was built in 1965. Since construction the building has been upgraded with air conditioning
and a new roof. More than twenty years-ago, building 2100 was identified as a structure needing
upgrades and blueprints were drawn up to renovate the building. This renovation never materialized.
Approximately sixteen years ago, an electrical fire in the microbiology classroom caused damage
sufficient enough to require remodeling of room 2124 and its adjacent preparation room. This is the only
area in the building that has received significant upgrades since the building's construction. Building 2100
was identified in Chabot College's 2005 Master Plan as a building needing renovation and was originally
part of the current Measure B Facilities Bond. It was given low priority and eventually as money became
scarce was removed from the Bond's remodeling list. In 2008 a proposal was drafted under the
Community College Construction Act of 1980 to modernize building 2100. Refurbishing of the electrical,
heating, and ventilation systems and the correction of health and safety concerns were cited as objectives
of the modernization. Funding of this proposal was never procured. Building 2100 is once again listed on
the 2012 Draft Master Plan as a building needing replacement/renovation.
Health and safety standards have changed dramatically in the last 48 years, but no significant structural
changes have been made to Building 2100 to comply with new standards. Our "temporary" safety
solutions have been in place for decades. We have two fewer laboratory rooms than were in the
building's original design. There is not enough classroom space to meet student demand. Student
completion of programs has been reduced by the inability to offer enough classes at times when they are
required. Facilities are deteriorating and are out-of-date. Classroom space is now used for activities and
technologies that did not exist in 1965, and for which they obviously were not designed. We are
proposing that the building be completely replaced, but a few problems, such as the air quality in the
anatomy room (2110), are so appalling actions should be taken immediately. These projects, in priority
order are:
1. Cadaver room .Remodel The current small cadaver room (closet) is not designed for dissection and
has several OSHA violations. It lacks proper ventilation, drainage, temperature control, and storage for
equipment and specimens. OSHA regulations once limited formaldehyde exposure to 3ppm. The current
standard is an average of 0.75 ppm over an eight-hour period or 2 ppm for 15 minutes. No changes have
been made to the building to meet this requirement.
2. Smart classrooms. Remodel Most of our classrooms contain computer projection systems, but
the rooms were not designed for them, they have a maze of wires, screens are in bad locations
and lighting is poor. The blinds are inoperable. We cannot control incoming sun glare and
blinds cannot be closed as per requirements if an emergency requires a building lockdown. We
would like lighting we can control and clearly visible computer/Elmo/ microscope projection
systems, which do not block the chalk/marker boards, in all of our classrooms.
3. Greenhouse/plant growth facilities. Remodel Our current facility for growing plants is nonfunctional.
This inhibits the activities we conduct in Biology 6, Biology 10 and Environmental Science 11. A
greenhouse would be ideal.
4. Student lounge. Remodel Due to the nature of our classes, food and drink are not allowed in our
classrooms. Students typically have lecture and lab back to back in a 4hr 20min time block. Most
students are also taking other classes. It is not uncommon for biology majors to spend nine or more
hours on campus. Consequently, students sit on the floor in the hallway to take a break or have lunch.
This creates a hazard when cultures and chemicals are transported in the hallway. Currently we are
planning to convert 2112 to a student lounge, but the room requires upgrades.
5. Fire safety .New construction The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code
recommends two or more exits in every laboratory, which are to be located at opposite ends of the room.
Only room 2124 meets this standard. Building 2100 only has a sprinkler system in the prep. room.
6. Standard safety equipment including fume hoods, safety showers, eye washes, ventilation
systems, and plumbing upgrades .New construction Our fume hoods are 48 years old and some were
installed in inconvenient locations. Some of our rooms lack safety showers and permanently installed
eyewashes. Our ventilation is inadequate and we require plumbing upgrades to prevent contamination of
the sewer system. The pipes in 2100 have lead and corrosion and leaks are becoming more frequent.
Faulty plumbing has resulted in mold growth in several areas of the building.
7. Preparation room upgrades .New construction Locations and configurations of our current
preparation and student project rooms are no longer in compliance with safety regulations. Currently we
have two separate preparation rooms that are each managed by one laboratory technician. For safety
reasons, our laboratory technicians should not work alone in the preparation rooms, yet this is common
practice due to our building constraints. Our laboratory rooms have side storage rooms, which were
originally designed as student project rooms, but can no longer be used as such because they do not
allow for the required line-of-site observation by the instructor.
8. Laboratory classrooms of adequate size and number .New construction Building 2100 originally
had eight laboratory classrooms. One of these (2108) is used exclusively for lecture and another is now
our central stockroom. Six functional laboratory classrooms remain. This number is insufficient to offer
classes when they are needed while also having time for equipment set-up between classes.
Many of our laboratory rooms have less space than is desirable between workstations, creating potential
spill hazards as students move about. Shelves obstruct windows and some windows do not open.
Additionally, counter space, and in some cases electrical capacity, is insufficient for the technology
needed for modern biological experiments and computer stations. Lab workstations are not designed for
computerized recording and analysis of experiments. Bringing in the computers clutters the workspace
and the aisles, creating multiple potential hazards. Room 2124, our only remodeled classroom, was
constructed with low-grade materials. The countertops are burnt, gouged, and have exposed raw wood.
This is a serious issue in a Microbiology Laboratory, which requires regular disinfection. Chabot has more
than enough student enrollment demand for at least eight biology laboratory rooms, ideally none of which
would be smaller than our current 2130.
9. Gender equity concerning restroom facilities .New construction The current men's restroom in 2100
contains 3 sinks, 4 urinals, and 2 toilet stalls. The woman's facility is much smaller and contains only 2
sinks and 2 toilet stalls. The next nearest student restroom in 3900 is a men's facility. To exacerbate this
situation, the majority of the courses offered in 2100 are designed for Allied Health majors whom are
mostly women.
10. Lecture rooms of adequate size and number .New construction Our main lecture room 2108 was
originally a laboratory room designed to accommodate a class of 20 students. Laboratory fixtures such as
a fume hood and storage cabinets have never been removed and occupy valuable floor and wall space.
We have been prevented from making small structural changes due to the hazard of exposing asbestos.
Today we hold lectures with 48+ students in 2108 even though it is an unacceptably cramped space with
virtually no aisles between student desks. Our second lecture room, 2112, is too small for even our
smallest classes. We have need for at least two lecture classrooms, each built for occupancy of 56
students.
11. Space for contemporary laboratory equipment .New construction Allied Health and Biology
students will work in the medical and biotechnology fields, which demand sophisticated skills. Students
can only acquire these skills in modern laboratory with 21st century equipment. Space restrictions prevent
us from obtaining large equipment.
12. Pond.New construction Biology department lost its pond to accommodate the construction of 3900.
What educational programs or institutional purposes does this equipment support?
Biology majors, Allied Health majors, and General Education.
Briefly describe how your request relates specifically to meeting the Strategic Plan Goal and to
enhancing student learning?
1. Provide a safer environment for student learning.
2. Additional rooms will allow us to offer the number of classes we need at the times they are required. It will
allow us to coordinate biology classes with other STEM classes so that students can have a reasonable schedule
and complete their program faster.
3. Space for modern equipment will better prepare students for transfer and employment by giving students
experience with laboratory techniques of the 21st century.