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Iowa (KCRG) – Voters across 18 Iowa counties will decide this fall whether to approve an $88 million bond to upgrade Kirkwood Community College, including new equipment for nursing and EMT students
The bond vote is set for Nov. 3
Kirkwood’s Linn Hall is where students learn to become nurses and EMTs. The building was renovated in 2013, but college leaders said the equipment and technology students use is outdated
Kendra Lindloff, Dean of Health Programs at Kirkwood, said the college has beds, monitors and mannequins that students would not encounter in real health care settings
“These would be beds that students would not see in our healthcare settings, as well as monitors. Our mannequins are well used,” Lindloff said
Lindloff said some equipment is so old that students are not getting the best practice using it, including a fake arm used for drawing blood
“Sixteen years old, you can tell we have several sticks, so then it doesn’t really simulate that skill for them,” Lindloff said
Kirkwood is asking voters to approve the $88 million bond. About $10 million of that would go toward renovating Linn Hall and improving the tools students use. The renovation would also add more space
Kirkwood said the additional space is needed because almost 450 students are currently in the nursing program. Lindloff said one small lecture area often runs out of room
“And so there were not enough chairs and spaces, so over in that corner, we had students sitting on the floor during the demonstration of the skill,” Lindloff said
Renovations would also include larger study spaces. Something students have requested
Troy McQuillen, Vice President of Operations at Kirkwood, said students want more re
“Access to power, good Wi-Fi, comfortable furniture, quiet study spaces. I mean, they dedicate their entire day 8, 10, 12 plus hours. So they want to have all these red
Kirkwood said the remaining bond money would go toward upgrades across its Cedar Rapids campus to renovate Jones Hall, Nielsen Hall, and Benton Hall
If approved, taxpayers would pay less than $10 for every $100,000 of assessed property value
The bond needs 60% approval to pass
Voters in the following 18 counties will decide whether to approve the bond in the midterm election: Benton, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Louisa, Poweshiek, Tama, and Washington
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