The addition of an elevator to the Sharpe Refectory and more lounge spaces in Faunce House are among changes slated to occur this summer and during next winter break.
Renovations to the Ratty will take place this summer, though some changes will not take place until next winter, as they are not yet definite, according to David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services.
The cost of changes made in the summer will be "somewhere in the neighborhood of four million dollars," he said. He added that because some necessary upgrades, including improved accessibility and fire safety, are so expensive they limit other renovation plans.
Because details of changes to Faunce are still up in the air, they will also not take place until next winter and their cost has not yet been determined.
Greene's office is mostly responsible for the changes, along with the Brown Corporation Committee on Campus Life and President Ruth Simmons. The Campus Life Committee of the Undergraduate Council of Students makes recommendations regarding campus life improvements.
Ratty improvements
Greene said he believes the elevator in the Ratty is the most notable of proposed changes.
"It's just been inexcusable to have a building that is central to the lives of students and not have it fully accessible. That to me is just fabulous that we're getting it done," he said.
Other changes to the Ratty will include new lighting and fire safety improvements. "The sprinkler system is ancient and a fire hazard. That's a necessary change that they have to do," said UCS Campus Life Chair Deanna Chaukos '08.
Other potential changes include adding furniture to the areas outside the Ratty's entrances and using the rooms off the main dining area for additional dining or meeting space to promote interaction between students and faculty.
Greene suggested these could be areas for deans to hold office hours or discussions.
Both Greene and Chaukos said Simmons is interested in reclaiming these rooms for students' use. The specific changes to those rooms are not yet finalized.
Taken together, these changes are meant to serve as interim improvements until larger plans for the Ratty can be put in place, according to Greene. Such future projects would change the Ratty's infrastructure and the way students get food. "We'd like to be able to change the facility around in some sense, so that more of the cooking is done as students get their food. If we could change the center core, where most of the machinery is, we could change the whole experience," Greene said.
Chaukos agreed there are many problems with the arrangement of the Ratty, citing ventilation concerns and power sources as additional issues. "I don't even think there's enough power to even have another panini grill," Chaukos said. "I think the administration realizes that they need to do more changes in the Ratty, they just don't have enough resources."
More lounges for Faunce
The renovations to Faunce will focus on issues of space for student use and recreation. Some changes will be aesthetic improvements such as installing new lighting, re-carpeting and renovating the bathrooms, while others will address the issue of common space.
"Faunce could be changed to create a lot more space for student organizations and students in general," Greene said. Both Greene and Chaukos said specific renovations are still being discussed, but one likely possibility is adding couches and other lounge furniture to the area near the ATM machine and games room in the basement. In addition, some game machines may be removed to create more space. Another possible change would be to turn the area outside the mailroom, currently home to the UCS office, into a lounge.
Greene said other possible changes - such as re-organizing the Student Activities Office, the Blue Room and Peterutti Lounge on the first floor to provide more common space for students - are still being considered. Greene and Chaukos both emphasized that space in Faunce could be rearranged to create more common areas, a feature Chaukos referred to as "much needed." These suggested changes would require relocating some offices.
"I think there's too many office spaces and not enough student and common space," Greene said. "There are a lot of areas that could be a lot better than they are."
"We're just really keen on getting another lounge space," echoed Chaukos. "This is basically just facilitating community. I think common space on this campus is a huge problem."
In addition, Chaukos and her committee have looked into adding more dining options to Faunce. Committee members are creating a menu of fast, fresh food - including salads, sandwiches and potentially some items currently available in the Blue Room - which could be sold in the Campus Market.
Because a new student center is not high on the University's list of priorities and could take years to devise and construct, the changes to Faunce are meant to serve campus life needs in the near-term, according to Chaukos.
"I think during the winter, when you can't sit outside and your only options are Upper and Lower Blue Room, students aren't so happy," Chaukos said. One concern Chaukos has is whether new common spaces will be used by students. She said that it can be hard to know what students want without student feedback.
Some students said they are excited about the creation of more lounge areas on campus, specifically in Faunce. "I think more common space is a great idea - there definitely is not enough now. The Blue Room isn't big enough to accommodate all the people who come there," said Kevin Roose '09.
Other students are interested in the idea but also cautious. "There isn't a lot of lounge area on campus, so it would be a nice space to have," said Allison Barkley '07. She added, however, that "one lounge is not going to change the nature of Faunce. Right now it's not structured to be a student union."
Greene said he is also pleased with the upcoming changes.
"When we have a place where students can eat, meet with students, professors, hang out - that will really make a difference," he said.
