Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees Monday evening heard a report regarding student housing; toured the Dowagiac campus to inspect the new Alumni Plaza and other recently completed campus improvements; recognized three employees; and conducted other business during its monthly meeting on the Dowagiac campus.

Demand for on-campus housing at SMC has remained exceptionally strong for the third consecutive year.

Each of the two 130-bed facilities is at 100-percent occupancy for the fall semester which began last week, with a waiting list of students who are still looking for the opportunity to live on-campus.

According to Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Fred L. Mathews, “SMC’s high-quality on-campus student housing provides students with access to a safe, total college life experience at a fraction of the cost of the state universities. This option is becoming more and more attractive to students as state university prices continue to skyrocket.”

Trustees also toured the Dowagiac campus to view the many changes that took place over the summer – most visibly to the center of campus. Construction of the Alumni Plaza that began in early May is now substantially complete.  Alumni Plaza is dedicated to all of SMC’s alumni and also to all of the past, present and future friends of the college.

This elevated circular plaza with surrounding seating is designed as a gathering place for students.

Although the initial round of engraved bricks has been installed, there will be ongoing opportunities to add inscribed bricks and limestone bands.

To purchase any of these, call the development office at (269) 782-1296.

Another change to the Dowagiac campus is the new Learning Center located at Fred L. Mathews Library.

This facility now will provide a “one-stop location” for all student learning needs — library services, tutoring and writing assistance, learning style assessments, career planning, test-taking tips and other services that had previously taken places at numerous different sites on campus.

New paint and carpet throughout the library, new furniture, new study rooms and a larger, more centrally-located Information Hub — are elements that visibly support the college’s commitment to student success.

Learning Center services at the Niles Area Campus also received a boost recently from a tenfold increase in computer network bandwidth.

With centralization of teaching and learning support services in Mathews Library, space became available for relocating SMC’s Academic Assessment and Testing Services to the first floor of the College Services Building.

In addition to being more convenient for students, this relocation significantly expands the capacity of the Testing Center. Four new general purpose classrooms and a Technical Communication Lab were created over the summer in the O’Leary Building in space made available by administrative reorganization. Additionally, two campus parking lots were resurfaced and substantial outdoor lighting upgrades were installed. According to Chairman Mathews, “Each of the investments the college has made in its physical plant this summer continues to advance the quality of experience that Southwestern Michigan College is able to provide our students.”