The Pasadena City College Board of Trustees will vote on June 18 to either demolish or renovate the W Building, though many teachers and students believe that decision has already been made — and they aren’t happy about it. Originally built as the women’s gym in the 1960s, the W Building now houses dance, kinesiology and other movement classes. It’s part of the college’s facilities strategic planning process enabled by a $565 million bond approved by voters in 2022.
Although PCC has not yet formally announced a decision, many users of the building feel left in the dark and have repeatedly raised concerns about the future of the facility. “We faculty and students are not getting answers and there’s a push for demolishing our building and it’s unclear what the reasons are, how much it will cost and if there will be money in the PCC Bond to cover a new one,” said Melissa Michelson, a tenured faculty at PCC for more than 16 years. Michelson, who teaches English as Second Language at the college, said she is especially concerned about the lack of a “clear, transparent process” and data to support the potential demolition of the building.
“I’m not comfortable, and I don’t have confidence in the school with yet another bond having seen the way they’ve been running this one without getting actual input,” she said. “And there’s a very big lack of transparency.” Tracy Bodis leads her yoga class at Pasadena City College on Monday May 20, 2024.
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