By ANDREA McCANN
Indiana Correspondent

VINCENNES, Ind. — Two Vincennes University technology programs and the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service of Knox County soon will have new homes at the Southwest Purdue Ag Center (SWPAC).

Dennis Nowaskie, SWPAC superintendent, said the two universities have a longstanding partnership, and construction of a VU building on Purdue ground will further expand that. It also may be responsible for the rapid progress of the project; Nowaskie said crews began moving dirt last July or August, and the target completion date is this August.

“The dedication is set for August 12,” said Tim Hale, program coordinator for VU’s John Deere technology and diesel technology programs, both of which will move into the completed structure.
Hale said the goal is to start fall classes in the new facility. The two technology programs were formerly housed at O’Neal Airport in Lawrenceville, Ill. The old airport is owned by VU and no longer used as an airfield. A flood in June 2008 destroyed the programs’ classroom and office areas, and damaged the lab space.

“Right now our laboratories are at Westport, Illinois, at O’Neal Airport, and lecture classes are on campus,” Hale explained. “In June 2008, there was probably five feet of water in all the buildings. We lost classrooms and office area; they were destroyed, and the labs were heavily damaged.

“We had to find new space. It’s very inconvenient having labs and classrooms in two different places. We’re losing a lot of time. It’ll all be in one location now.”

Hale said the new facility will allow students and faculty to have better training aids, as well as use time more effectively for student learning. He said there are about 100 students in the two programs combined, and four instructors. He believes the new space will help attract more students to the programs.

Both the John Deere technology and diesel technology are two-year programs at VU and can be transferred to other universities for a four-year degree if students wish to pursue further training. According to Hale, the John Deere technology program teaches every aspect of agricultural equipment repair. He said there’s even a consumer product course that includes lawnmowers up to compact utility tractors. GPS technology is included in both programs.
“We added new equipment this year to update the diesel program from what was lost in the flood,” he said. “John Deere supplies new tractors to work with each year.”

Hale said Cummins, Inc. and ArvinMeritor support the diesel technology program, supplying parts, training and technology. He explained there are 10 late-model semi trucks, along with combines, tractors and other equipment students use for learning purposes.

The Knox County extension staff also is looking forward to new office space after a disaster took their offices in January 2006. A fire swept through their former quarters, causing tremendous smoke damage and some loss, according to county extension Director Stacye Johnson. Since then, they’ve used space at SWPAC.
“It will be permanent space for us,” Johnson said. “Where we are now at SWPAC is called a dirty lab … it was used for nematode testing.”

She said it’s been a long-term temporary space for Knox County Extension, so when the idea for the new VU building came up, Purdue administrators saw an opportunity for her staff to find a permanent home.

“The new building will not give us more space, but it will be organized in such a way that it will be designed for us,” Johnson explained. “Storage will be more efficient than where we are now. We are going to have access to a conference room and kitchenette we’ll share with others in the building. It’s my understanding we’ll have access to classrooms when they’re not in use.
“Our programs will remain the same. We’re not increasing staff.  The services we offer won’t change. We’re just moving location, not changing anything we do. People can expect the same customer service.”

She added the building is visible from U.S. Highway 41 and is simple to reach. Unlike the current situation, there will be no confusion about which door to enter for their offices. The plan is to move the office sometime after things die down from the Indiana State Fair.

According to Jerry Fankhauser, director of the Purdue Ag Centers, the already close relationship between VU and Purdue led to a discussion and decision to locate the new facility at SWPAC. The 220-acre SWPAC is owned by the Purdue trustees, he said, and is most active in the area of vegetable and specialty crop research and demonstration.

“Discussions with VU began, and it became clear early on that locating this facility at SWPAC would greatly benefit the educational, extension and research efforts at both institutions,” Fankhauser said, adding that VU and Purdue entered into a 20-year lease agreement with provisions for an extension of a minimum 20 more years.

“VU owns the building and is responsible for its construction and operation. This type of leasing arrangement between two state institutions can and does work. A formal lease agreement was crafted and approved by both institutions back in June of 2009. Details about usage, maintenance and farm field and lane usage were all addressed in the agreement.

“There is a tremendous benefit to Purdue University in that this facility will be available to our SWPAC staff and university faculty and staff for educational efforts. In addition, Purdue Cooperative Extension in Knox County will benefit, as their local extension office staff will relocate to office space in this facility, once completed,” he said.

“At this time, Knox County extension is temporarily located in the back part of our Southwest-Purdue Agricultural Program Building located at SWPAC. Knox County extension ended up at the SWPAP Building due to a fire in their county-owned building back a few years ago.  Keeping Knox County extension located at SWPAC is a ‘win-win’ for Purdue Agricultural Centers and Knox County – great accessibility and on-site Purdue specialists who can assist those with production-related problems.

“We are looking forward to the completion of this facility, as it will benefit faculty, staff and students at both institutions, and stakeholders across southwest Indiana,” he concluded.