The GeoChem Building will likely undergo a renovation in the next few years, Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for Facilities Management, confirmed to The Herald.
“In general, the age of certain buildings on campus” leaves much to be desired in terms of the state of the facilities, Maiorisi said. “GeoChem is in need of a major overhaul.”
Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper said the University keeps data on which buildings are most in need of renovation. Buildings like GeoChem and the Sharpe Refectory are at the top of the list, she said.
But the University has to be wary of jumping into large renovation plans, Huidekoper said.
Since the University is operating on a budget deficit and has had to rely on issuing debt to finance projects like the current $14 million renovation of Barus and Holley, gift funding will be extremely important in determining when renovations can take place, she said.
If laboratories are conducting federally sponsored research, the federal government can sometimes help fund renovations of the necessary facilities, Huidekoper said.
But generally, it is difficult to get any donations to “fix up old buildings,” she added.
“The budgeting exercise is one big trade-off,” said Provost Mark Schlissel P’15.
The University has to prioritize from year to year, and “not all of our buildings are perfect,” he said.
But professors and administrators have been vocal about the state of GeoChem for 15 years, said Gerald Diebold, professor of chemistry.
Diebold and building managers have conducted many meetings with various University administrators — to little effect, he said.
Dirty air in the laboratories was a particularly large problem in the past, Diebold said. A few years ago, an air filter began to spew dust and dirt into the laser laboratories. Though the University has addressed that issue, other problems persist, he said.
Maiorisi said Facilities Management’s Service Response Center works around the clock to address any immediate problems.
He added that Facilities Management workers meet with building representatives monthly to address and track persistent issues. The systemic problems in GeoChem prompted the planning of a possible renovation, he said.
But Diebold said, “What we really need is general cleaning.”
He added that cobwebs, peeling plaster and grime buildup on walls and doorways are particular problems and act as deterrents when departments try to recruit faculty members and graduate students.
“We shouldn’t have to complain about dirt,” Diebold said. Those types of issues can be addressed “without spending any more money.”
Though he has filed many reports with the building manager, Diebold said he has not appealed directly to Facilities Management.
Facilities Management staff members “work very hard to keep our buildings clean,” Schlissel said. “I wouldn’t infer a major problem from one building.”
After many years of efforts, Diebold said, “I’m not optimistic” about any improvements in Geo Chem’s upkeep.
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