Feb. 5, 2020
Improvements to Campus Facilities
Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
The new semester is advancing fast! I am writing to share news of improvements to campus facilities and office moves that have been made since the fall.
Palmer Auditorium Renovation and Relocation of Theater Department and Theater Services
In preparation for construction, Palmer Auditorium is now closed and offline. Soon, fencing will enclose the whole site and selective interior demolition will begin. The building’s extensive renovation will continue through summer 2021, with a grand reopening in fall 2021.
The theater and theater services departments are now located at 33 Gallows Lane and will remain there during the renovation project. Along with a teaching and performance space, this temporary new home has been renovated to include faculty offices, the costume shop and the box office.
Film Studies Program Consolidated in Hillyer Hall and Blackstone House
The former Print Shop space in Hillyer Hall will be transformed into the new, donor-funded Center for the Moving Image. Nearby ground floor spaces in Blackstone House will be adapted for film studies department faculty offices. Construction will begin this spring for fall 2020 occupancy.
Horizon House Updates
To enhance the welcoming experience for prospective students, the entry hall and living room of Horizon House Admission Building have been refurbished. Enhancements will include new flooring, paint, bookshelves, furniture and a hospitality station.
Camel Card Office and Holleran Center Relocations in College Center at Crozier-Williams
The Camel Card office has relocated to room 217 and the Holleran Center, located on the first floor, has been expanded to include Community Partnerships.
Title IX Office Relocation to Crozier-Williams
In the coming weeks, Ebony Manning, associate dean for equity and compliance programs and the College’s Title IX coordinator, will move from Unity House to Crozier-Williams 216.
Roth Writing Center
The Roth Writing Center has moved from its space in the Center for Teaching and Learning on the second floor of Blaustein to be co-located with the Academic Resource Center on the second floor of Shain Library.
Plex Roof Repairs
Over the winter break, Facilities Management continued to make significant roof repairs at the Plex. This work is expected to wrap up within the next few weeks and minimal impact on building occupants is expected.
Fuel Cell
In October, the College’s fuel cell (a seven-month construction project) went online. This technology employs a self-contained chemical reaction to convert natural gas to electricity, allowing the College to generate most of our electricity and significantly reduce reliance on the public utility. Over the winter break, an information kiosk was installed on the first floor of the Olin Science Center. Since going live in the fall the fuel cell has generated 3,602 megawatts. Stop by to see current information about the fuel cell operation and output!
Solar Project
A group of eight students is working with professor Chad Jones (faculty director of the Office of Sustainability), Rocky Ackroyd ’83 and facilities staff to design and install solar panels on the roof of the service building at south campus. Design is taking place in an individual-study course during the spring semester with the goal of installing the panels as soon as possible after design is completed.
As always, if you have questions about these projects, please contact me at rmadonna@conncoll.edu
Rich Madonna
Vice President for Finance and Administration