Variable temperatures and cramped offices will be no more than a bad dream for the psychology department when Tufts finishes construction on a spacious, three-story building this July. The Boston Ave. structure, located behind Curtis Hall, will allow for growth in department programs and research facilities.
Psychology professors and students hope that an increased number of labs and office spaces will enhance the department's research capabilities and overall cohesion. "[The department] has been suffering from a lack of space for years," said Robin Kanarek, chair of the psychology department. "This has restricted experimental opportunities and has also slowed department advances by prohibiting the faculty from teaching and researching to their fullest abilities."
Most psychology classes are held in Paige and Bacon halls, which are not large enough to support classrooms, labs, and professor and graduate student offices. The new building will have three floors to alleviate spatial limitations, and allow the department to consolidate under one roof. An up-to-date computer lab will also be constructed.
The department plans to utilize its modern facility to increase the caliber of its experiments, as well as make strides on collaborative experiments among faculty and students. As the program grows and attracts more students, administrators hope the building will qualify them for coveted federal research grants.
"For those students that [run experiments], the new building is a worthwhile endeavor which will... allow faculty to run better programs themselves, leading towards a curriculum of a higher magnitude," junior Jonathan Tack said.
None of the regularly offered psychology classes will be disrupted while construction continues, Kanarek said. Statistics and experimental lab courses, however, had to be relocated to the Tisch Library because the computer labs were unusable.
The building is being constructed from the ground up, after the old building was completely demolished. The fresh start will allow for more modern facilities, a welcome addition for professors and students.
"The new building will be a big improvement. The temperatures in the old buildings are so unpredictable now; it is warm on one side and freezing on the other. The extra space will also be beneficial with taking lab classes and working with graduate students on their experiments," said one psychology student.
The consolidation of Paige and Bacon into one building is expected to increase interdepartmental cooperation between faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students. The facility will allow for collaborative experimental efforts as well.
Until last year, professors had offices in Bacon and graduate students in Paige. Currently, due to the ongoing construction, professors took over graduate student offices in Paige, causing minor inconveniences for those dislocated by the move.
The new building will remain nameless until the University receives a substantial donation.
Construction is proceeding on schedule, and the building and renovations are expected to be finished by July 2001, with the facility ready next fall. "The cover is up over the building, so that's a good sign... it means they're working," Kanarek said.
