Eduardo J. Padrón
President
Office of the President
300 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132-2297
305-237-3316
epadron@mdc.edu
Message From the President
Friday, October 12, 2012
Update on West Campus
Dear Colleagues:
As you know, the College, our community and many families have suffered a terrible tragedy with the collapse of the garage under construction at the West Campus. We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the workers who lost their lives, and our wishes for speedy recovery to those who have been injured. We have been reaching out to the families to offer our support.
I want to thank all the people who have offered their support, beginning with the countless calls and emails from people across our community and the nation. City of Doral Mayor Bermudez and Mayor Gimenez of Miami-Dade County both visited the site and offered any help that was needed. I received a call from Governor Scott offering assistance, and last, but hardly least, President Obama spoke with me and offered his support. We are truly grateful to all.
The West Campus is currently closed and is expected to remain closed for a period of time. While much is still unknown regarding when we will reopen the campus, I want to provide as thorough an update as possible.
Inspections
At the current time, the public authorities are conducting their investigations of the site. When those inspections are complete, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) will conduct an inspection to ensure complete environmental safety. These investigations will be very thorough, including determining if any structural damage has occurred in any other buildings.
Re-starting Campus Operations
It is important to repeat that we are still gathering information and expert advice and this input will affect the decision on when to re-start classes and operations. The earliest estimate would be November 1 but the very real possibility exists that the re-opening of West Campus could be considerably later. We will keep you informed as we continue the investigations.
Classes for West Campus Students
Daytime classes will be shifted, beginning on Monday, October 15, to the North Campus. We are stretching every possible space at North, making use of labs, library, courtyards, exercise space, auditoriums and additional areas to accommodate all the daytime West Campus classes. For those needing transportation to North Campus from the Doral area, we are in the process of establishing a pick-up/drop-off point at the Mall of the Americas.
Evening classes will take place at Ronald Reagan Senior High School in Doral, beginning on Monday, October 15. Ronald Reagan is very close to the West Campus and will provide parking on site for our students.
Thanks are due to the leadership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the North Campus for their invaluable support in making this happen.
Additional Support
We are providing on-site psychological services for any staff or students who feel the need to seek out this support. I encourage everyone to be aware of your own needs in this regard as well as the needs of your colleagues.
Communications are being sent to all West Campus students, faculty and staff advising them of the preparations for the coming days and weeks. A website will be in place to provide thorough information.
The College Registrar is busy at work posting new class locations and times for viewing online by West Campus students, faculty and staff.
We will keep you informed as more information becomes available. This is a time to pull together and support each other. Thank you to all who have offered support and continue to try their very best to make the necessary adjustments.
Thank you.
Eduardo