While most students spent the summer away from the Forest Grove campus, the facilities crews were working away on the campus in preparation for the new academic year.
Students returning to campus will undoubtedly notice the new sidewalks that were laid during the summer months and the freshly coated yellow and red paint on the curbs, but according to Facilities and Safety Management Director Harold Roark, there were two other major projects completed.
According to Roark, the summer’s two major projects were completing the remodel of Scott Hall and the remodel of the first floor of Price Hall.
In Scott Hall facilities crews finished remodeling the former library building to make it a useable space for assorted university groups. The building now houses university relations staff, the Vision Performance Institute, and a branch of the University Information Services.
Roark said that among the new facilities within Scott is a “phonathon room” that will give students a designated area to make phone calls to parents, friends and alumni of the university to ask for pledges.
Also, Roark and his crew have been working on the remodel of Price Hall’s first floor, which has become home to the physics department. It now houses offices, computer labs and three physics labs, as well as an exercise science lab and office.
Besides these two projects, Roark and his crew have also been working on plans to have solar panels on their entire fleet of golf carts that would allow the carts to be completely powered by the sun, even if it is overcast outside. However, plans have not been finalized.
As the safety management director, Roark also oversaw the recent change in Campus Public Safety uniforms with help from Rob Dahl. The new black and grey uniforms are meant to be more professional, according to Roark.
In addition to these numerous campus wide projects, Roark and his crew have also continued what Roark calls the “beautification of campus,” which includes new trees and general maintenance to the campus.
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