MHCC’s administration believes that a little paint and carpet go a long way, and there’s still a long way to go.

Some of Mt. Hood’s classrooms were touched up over the summer, but Al Sigala, director of media and public relations, said, “We’re far from done.”

The project began in the 1700 block of the academic center and with the larger classrooms on campus. They’ve finished more than 40 classrooms, and t he hope is that the improvements will translate to a better learning environment.

The project has no official end date, according to Sigala. “The projects will need to be piecemealed,” he said. “It all comes down to money.”

Gary Murph, MHCC’S chief financial officer, said the school has spent $300,000 of the $1.5 million slated for classroom upgrades. Some of the money was spent on multimedia upgrades.

Those rooms that received an upgrade, according to Murph, were carefully chosen. “We had a pretty good idea which rooms were in need, which is all of them.” There simply wasn’t enough money to furnish, paint, carpet and update technology in every classroom, said Murph.

Sigala doesn’t expect the classroom remodels to have an effect on the search for space on campus. “You’re not going to see walls being torn down,” he said. The classrooms will all stay the same size as well.

The furnishings will mostly remain in use during fall quarter. A committee chose furniture, but the faculty had an opportunity last week, according to Murph, to participate in the selection process. He expects tables and chairs will be replaced in the latter part of fall quarter.

MHCC’S old furniture becomes surplus, which the school can either reuse, hold or put up to a bid. Because it was all purchased with public money, said Sigala, “it must be handled properly, we can’t give it away.”

The GE building near the tennis courts is a likely home for the old furnishings as the school stockpiles surplus to auction off.

Although the remodel is far from finished, Murph said, “We’re in the last stages of this phase.” Any major work that has yet to be completed will most likely be done during breaks, although the ceilings of the classrooms will be painted on the weekends.