As construction of the Sophia Gordon Hall and the new Music Building continues, students are feeling the impact of these changes to the Tufts campus.
The construction that is happening on the plot off land just off Talbot Avenue has elicited a number of student complaints, according to Vice President for Operations at Tufts John Roberto.
To date, Roberto said that students and faculty have bemoaned the construction's effects on driving around campus, parking, and even sleep habits.
With regard to sleeping, the students most affected by the construction are the residents of Stratton Hall, a dormitory situated right next to the major construction site.
"It has been really inconvenient with all the construction because [the workers] usually start their work at around 6:30 in the morning," said Stratton resident and junior Myrlene Richard. "I know it must be rough for the students who stay up so late studying to wake up to that noise ... [particularly for] people like me who will wake up to any kind of noise."
Sleep-deprived students have been joined by a litany of complaints with regard to the parking and driving inconveniences the construction has caused.
Junior Larry Schwimmer said that driving downhill has been a hassle recently with all of the work being done.
Talbot Avenue has frequently been shut down to traffic completely in order to install underground pipes and other components necessary for the new buildings.
In order to accommodate student and faculty needs as best as possible, Roberto said he has been working to change construction times so that they will conflict less with nearby students' sleeping patterns.
"We understand the demand of reading period and as such may have a slightly later start time for construction every day," Roberto said.
He also said that he plans to speak with the contractor in the coming weeks to accommodate students, particularly those living in Stratton Hall.
On the issue of parking, Roberto said, "We have sufficient parking to meet the demand on a campus-wide basis."
He said he recognizes, however, that with nearly 2,500 student and faculty cars registered on campus, there is always room for improvement.
"[We will be] looking at opportunities to increase parking space over the next couple of years," he said, although options are limited "with a campus that's so constrained for space."
Despite the issues raised by construction, some students said they feel that the benefits of the new buildings will outweigh the temporary inconveniences they are currently suffering through.
"The new buildings are important for the school, particularly the new dorm," Schwimmer said.
"Problems are inevitable with any construction of this magnitude ... with two buildings in close proximity," Roberto said.
It is expected that the 126-bed Sophia Gordon Hall will be completed and ready for student occupation by Sept. 2006, and the Music Building's completion shortly thereafter.
