Watertown School Board Approves $70,000 Design Contract for Lake Area Tech Radiologic Technology Program
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown School Board unanimously approved a $70,000 architectural and engineering contract with CO-OP Architecture on Monday night, Nov. 9, taking a formal step toward launching a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology at Lake Area Technical College by fall 2028.
The motion to approve the contract under Agenda Item 4.2.7 was made by board member Jean Moulton, seconded by Kari Lohr, and passed by unanimous voice vote.
Renovating Existing Campus Space for Two Cohorts and Energized Labs
According to LATC President Tiffany Sanderson and the Nov. 3 proposal from CO-OP Architecture Associate Principal Architect Jason Kann, the $70,000 lump-sum agreement covers full architectural, mechanical, electrical, and structural design services from schematic design through construction administration.
Rather than constructing a new building addition, the project aligns with LATC's 10-year master campus plan by renovating existing classrooms 150 and 152 inside the 100 Building. Following regional site visits in October to examine successful classroom and equipment layouts, CO-OP Architecture developed a schematic floor plan featuring:
· Two Dedicated Classrooms: Measuring 782 square feet and 733 square feet—one for each year's cohort in the two-year AAS degree program.
· Two Lead-Lined Energized X-Ray Labs: Measuring 414 square feet and 417 square feet, enclosed by lead-lined walls, doors, and glass with protected observation areas where students can safely practice full X-ray imaging duties.
· Support and Corridor Updates: Two storage rooms (100 square feet and 94 square feet), a 715-square-foot hallway, and updated finishes and built-in bench seating along corridors C103 and C104.
"We've been working with more than 30 healthcare providers on the structure of the program," Sanderson told the board. "Some of the competencies and modalities that students study in that program can be done in a simulated environment and then much of that program is done through clinical experiences out in the field. So CO-OP has a good start on the concepts. This contract that's before you would allow us to get into the finer details as we're raising funds for the renovations of existing facilities and purchasing the equipment that would be required to run the program. We're anticipating if everything comes together in good order, in an ideal situation, we would open the program in the fall of 2028."
Cohort Capacity and Addressing Rural Healthcare Shortages
"We'll start in the first year with 14 or fewer students in that first cohort and then build up from there," Sanderson said. "There's tremendous need, especially in rural healthcare facilities. And so our ability to expand that program is really dependent on clinical site availability and the modalities that students need experience in. And so we'll work with healthcare providers to continue to work our way up in those cohort sizes as we can."
Board members also asked where hospitals and clinics currently recruit radiologic technologists and what other institutions offer the training in South Dakota. Sanderson noted that two major factors—the closure of Presentation College in Aberdeen and a shift toward localized rural diagnostics—have heightened the regional workforce shortage.
"Mitchell has a longstanding program with more than 50 students in their program," Sanderson said. "Western Dakota is in the process of starting a program—I think they're in their second year, so the first year that students are in technical courses. It used to be that Presentation College had a really strong rad tech program. And when that college closed, then there were other programs that adjusted and brought more students into their program. But while that all was happening, the care and the role of rad techs was changing in those rural environments. It used to be that you had to travel to get imaging. And the hope now is keep imaging as close to home as possible for quick diagnosis and treatment. And so that has really changed the landscape of need within the field."
Under CO-OP Architecture’s preliminary schedule, design and bidding are projected to span six months—one month for schematic design, two months for design development, two months for construction documents, and one month for bidding—followed by six to eight months of construction.
