Construction of a bus depot and modular classrooms for ROTC near the Art Sculpture Lab was halted today by Ron Richardson, associate vice president of facilities.

Richardson said the bus depot plan was abandoned due to pressure from art students and faculty. The construction noise and diesel fumes caused classes to be interrupted on Thursday.

A resolution passed by the Faculty Senate on Thursday added pressure to facilities to make changes to the build plan and suspend construction of the two modular units.

The units were to be used by the ROTC, a program that Sacramento State is currently expanding. The build site also includes storage area for public safety equipment.

The primary issue raised by the art department was the lack of any type of official notification or discussion about the construction.

This was an oversight that was acknowledged and apologized for by Provost Joseph Sheley at the Faculty Senate meeting.

Richardson said he is working with the provost’s office to establish a more effective communication system to help ensure this does not occur in the future.

Several maintenance issues were also brought forward by the art department, in particular, the lack of toilets at the lab. Two toilets are all that are available for approximately 200 students that use the lab each day.

The art department was told today that most of the seven parking spaces would be restored after completion of construction of the modular units after completion of construction of the modular units.

Additionally, renovation of the Art Sculpture Lab bathrooms would take place over the summer.

Several instructors in the art department, however, were wary of the concession and saw this latest construction will substantially reduce the amount of space students have to work with.

“We have heard a lot of nice words,” said Ian Harvey, professor of painting. “We have been polite, and I think that is why this keeps happening.”

Among these instances, department members said the loss of access to the river, the installation of the U.S. Geological Society boat and trailer storage area, and the construction of nursing department modular labs have all impacted the program.

Derek Fleming can be reached at [email protected].