Students are back on campus, but for those who typically grace the halls of Tatem, renovations have kept these students in places like the Observatory and Gambrill Gymnasium for their classes this semester.
Tatem Hall has been under construction since last year, but Charles Mann, Vice President for Finance, reports that the renovations are on schedule. Construction workers have been busy at work at Tatem since winter break last year, and continued to work during the summer and will be doing so this semester as well.
Students whose majors are housed in Tatem can expect some great renovations and additions to the building, and some students, staff and faculty will be moving to Tatem from other buildings. Mann reports that for parts of Tatem that were previously occupied, renovations are complete except for the carpet being put down.
Price Auditorium is still under renovation and should be completed by December. At this time, Mann says that faculty from departments like Art and Archaeology, Education, and Foreign Language and Literatures will be able to move back into the building and resume classes and office hours.
In addition to Tatem’s usual classrooms and offices being ready for use in December, students can look forward to a new courtroom to be used for the Law and Criminal Justice Department. Charles Mann shares that Tatem will open its doors for students in time for this coming spring semester, but there will still be a few more changes to come.
By April of 2016, “the new addition on the east side of the building…will be finished along with the build-out of the third floor”. By the end of the spring semester, the Psychology Department will move from their space in Rosenstock to a new space in Tatem Hall.
Due to the renovations, Tatem will now have an extra 7,020 square feet of additional usable space. With Tatem’s plans wrapping up, the campus is ready to move into its next phase of planning which starts with The Campus Master Plan.
The Master Plan was put together by a committee who gathered multiple times this summer with CREDO consultants in order to develop a 10-year long improvement plan for the campus.
Mann said, “This plan will identify locations for future academic and housing facilities, and identify buildings requiring major renovations to better meet the educational and student life needs of the college”.
Alex Connor, a junior leader on campus, was one of the student representatives on the committee who shared his input through a student perspective.
Connor said: “I felt that being a part of the committee really solidified my place here at Hood in my mind now and in the future. I believe that this plan has the ability to make Hood successful for decades to come. All the ideas put forward will allow Hood to grow and prosper as an institution and as a member of the Frederick community.”
Students, faculty, staff and the Frederick Community were able to see the proposed plan at community forums on September 2nd and 3rd. The final plan will incorporate public feedback and will be submitted to President Chapdelaine and later, the Board of Trustees for approval.
2016 will bring an end to the renovations of Tatem Hall and will begin a ten-year journey towards creating an improved campus for all current and future students, faculty, staff and alumni of Hood College.
Be the first to comment