Pacific University has been very busy this summer with renovations including revamping Mcgill Auditorium, Jefferson Hall, air in the University Center and a computer lab in Scott Hall.
President Lesley Hallick said Mcgill Auditorium has not been touched in decades and is the largest lecture hall on campus. She is pleased the university is doing a complete remodel of the auditorium.
They have gutted the inside of the auditorium and have installed new seats that have a special accommodation for group work. Every other row of seats can swivel backward so groups can be made for collaboration and projects, on top of the desks and chairs being a little bigger than the outdated set up.
Hallick said that there will be new lighting and soundproofing in Mcgill Auditorium and it should be finished in time for classes to start.
Scott Hall will gain a computer lab by October and Hallick is excited about the lab because she said when looking at the three labs in the basement of Marsh Hall it was surprising to her that not only computer science uses the labs a lot, but the writing classes do as well.
“Our goal is that all the computer labs will be in Scott eventually, but we are not taking computers offline until we are ready,” Hallick said.
Some slight renovations to the University Center occurred over summer including new doors on the Walter Hall side of the building and air conditions for the hot summer months.
Hallick said when the UC was remodeled they felt it did not need air conditioning, given the school is in Oregon.
After more time air conditioning became feasible financially, so it was a simple add on.
While there is not a direct impact on the undergraduate students, the west wing of Jefferson Hall is being remodeled. The optometry building’s west wing is the examination rooms and they have not been touched in many years.
“They look like jail cells,” Hallick said.
The examination rooms will be remodeled in waves.
Only three rooms can be out of circulation at a time due to the patient flow so there will be four waves of remodel and Hallick said they are almost done with the infrastructure.
The last phase should be done around February.
An unplanned renovation is also taking place near Trombley Square.
The university was patching some sidewalk when they found a large pipe under te ground that led to an oil tank that is 35 feet by 8 feet and will ultimately need to be removed.
The university has permission to cover the pipe and tank and remove it next summer.
“I think we have to remove 200,000 pounds of dirt,” Hallick said
Hallick also says that this project will take place next summer because they will have to dig up Trombley Square and replace it.
“We do not want to dig up Trombley when all the students are arriving,” Hallick said.
The renovations are on schedule and will improve learning and everyday student life at Pacific and Hallick is excited for the year to come.
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