Classroom Building for Apparel Merchandising & Textiles,
Interior Design/Landscape Architecture (AMID/LA)
This session WSU is seeking $2.75 million design funding for a new east campus
classroom building that could be constructed during the 2001-2003 biennium.
It is WSU`s second highest capital priority for the Pullman campus, second only
to the proposed Teaching and Learning Center that is scheduled for construction in
1999-2001 with legislative approval. If successful this session, the result of the
AMID/LA proposal will be a new $30.7 million Pullman building with 52,000 square feet.
Gov. Gary Locke and the state Higher Education Coordinating Board have recommended
funding for the project. It is now under consideration by the Senate Ways and Means
Committee and the state House Capital Budget Committee as part of the proposed 1999-2001
capital construction budget.
Reasons for the State to Support the Project
- Increases Student Access: 780 FTE Capacity Increase,
Plus 115 Classroom Laboratory Seats This building is part of a methodical
plan to gradually increase access for students at the Pullman campus.
Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture,
are growth programs at WSU. This facility will increase the capacity of the Pullman
campus by about 800 students, a majority of the capacity will be general
classroom space for many disciplines that is badly needed on the east side
of campus.
- Allows Expansion of Growing, Popular Programs.
Freshman-level classes in both Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design are on
the increase. AMT 108, the introductory course in apparel merchandising, enrolled 54
students during fall 1998, compared to 28 students in 1997. Likewise,
there were 33 students enrolled in Interior Design 101. Faculty are currently
advising 109 students in the AMT area. Projected enrollments in Landscape Architecture
are expected to increase by 95 students in the next five years.
Conservatively, projected enrollment among landscape architecture,
interior design, and AMT is expected to increase from about 320 to 429 in
the next five years.
- Focuses on Excellent WSU Programs Central to Its Mission
These programs are consistent with WSU`s land grant mission.
The Interior Design program offers the only four-year baccalaureate
interior design degree and is the only program accredited by the
Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER) in
the state of Washington. One of 46 in North America, the WSU Landscape
Architecture program excels by being more technically oriented in the
natural sciences and the natural resource sciences. Six of WSU`s eight
faculty members in landscape architecture hold doctorate degrees.
No other landscape architecture program in North America has more
than four (Texas A&M has four.).
- Supports Programs That Provide Good, High-Demand Jobs to Graduates.
The U.S. Department of Labor lists landscape architecture as one of the
top 50 professions that can be expected to experience increased demand
in the near future. It is estimated that the current national supply of
landscape architecture graduates will not be currently meet the current
needs of the profession. The current capacity can`t possibly accommodate
the anticipated increase by the Department of Labor. The state of
Washington recently adopted legislation that places rigorous requirements
on cities and counties to address issues of growth management. There is a
need for design professionals that can contribute to the orderly planning
and management of that growth, according to William Hendrix, the chair of
the WSU landscape architecture program. AMT graduates are with firms
like Contract Design Associates of Spokane, ALSC Architects of Spokane,
Wolffe Ballantyne Studio of Spokane, Ward Gibbons of Portland, The Brown
Associates of Seattle, Colours Inc. of Las Vegas, Nordstrom, Igona Design
of Los Angeles and Hayworth of Seattle. Starting salaries in AMID/LA
typically run in the $20,000 $40,000 per year range.
- Replaces Inadequate, Crowded, Outdated Existing Space for Programs - Preserves Accreditation
Landscape Architecture is at risk of losing their accreditation by the
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) due to the conditions of
their current accommodations in Johnson Hall Annex (1996 Report.).
Both the AMID and LA programs are design-oriented, but are housed within
existing buildings that do not meet the functional, technological or
environmental needs of the programs.
- Fits Into The Campus Master Plan, Benefits other Academic Programs
By transferring AMID from outdated, inefficient and undersized space in
White Hall, space is made for renovations of the historic building for
an Honors/Scholars residence hall in the core of the Pullman campus.
By transferring 100 Landscape Architecture students from over-crowded
Johnson Hall, better space will be provided for the remaining programs.
In conjunction with the proposed Johnson Hall Addition
(Plant Biotechnology Building), WSU would anticipate fewer complaints
that are a result of crowded or unsuitable facilities.
- Houses Programs Which Promote Economic Development in the State
Landscape architects are affiliated with the $250 million landscape plant
nursery industry as well as construction and development industries.
Apparel merchandising and Textiles programs contribute to the design
and merchandising clothing industries in the Northwest.
While some manufacturing has left the Northwest in these areas,
most firms continue to keep their designers here.
- Consolidates Similar Programs Into a Single Building
The proposed building will be located near related programs,
allowing maximum collaboration between these programs and other academic
fields on the East Pullman Campus.
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