Space race: PCC expansion serves community

With the smallest amount of space per student in the state's community college system, administrators at Pitt Community College scramble to accommodate its growing student population at every term. Even with recently completed construction, the school desperately needs additional space to provide a superior academic experience to those who desire it.

This week, the PCC Board of Trustees adopted a plan for growth that will guide the school's expansion for the next decade, providing a clear vision for how construction of new facilities should proceed. But while the need for that additional space is immediate, a grim economic climate means that tremendous challenges remain before PCC can provide to its students the type of campus their educational ambition deserves.

East Carolina University receives ample attention as a premier academic institution in this community, but PCC similarly serves a crucial role in providing higher education opportunities to thousands each year. Students can enroll in associate degree programs, get an early jump on college classes and learn a new skill or trade toward a new career — three options that help develop a more diverse and appealing work force for Pitt County.

PCC is so successful, in fact, that it has exceeded the capacity of its infrastructure. With a space deficit of 259,000, the school ranks last among the state's 58 community colleges for space per student and desperately needs to add facilities to accommodate the expected growth of its student population in the coming years.

This week, the Board of Trustees took a step toward that by approving a master plan for growth. It outlines six phases for construction of new buildings as well as the renovation and expansion of existing facilities to create additional space. When complete, the school will have 382,000 more square feet of classrooms and support buildings to serve students.

With a total price tag of $60.3 million, however, PCC still faces an uphill climb to see this plan come to fruition. The economic recession has whittled public budgets down to the bare bones, though voters' 2007 approval of a quarter-cent increase in the sales tax will help provide some funding.

Securing the remainder should be a community priority. PCC serves as a vitally important resource here, and its continued development benefits the county. Funding PCC's expansion is an investment in Pitt County's future.