Prompted by a Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate resolution calling for the renovation of Wren and Haskell Halls, Tufts administrators participated in a walking tour of several dormitories over Spring Break.
Dean of Student Life Bruce Reitman, Dean of Arts and Sciences Bob Sternberg, Executive Administrative Dean Leah McIntosh, Dean of Student Services Paul Stanton and Director of Residential Life Yolanda King toured Wilson House and Metcalf, Haskell, Wren and South Halls to size up the condition of the dormitories.
South Hall was considered the desired condition in the comparison. It was used as an example of what a newly-renovated dorm should look like.
"What my colleagues and I discovered is probably what you already know - that [dorm] condition is variable," Sternberg said.
Feedback generated from the informal walking tour was relatively positive. Problems were identified and are in the process of being addressed.
A timeline to spruce-up the dormitories by summer of 2006 is currently in the works, but due to increasing costs these necessary renovations may not implemented as soon as desired.
"My hope is that we might find a donor who is interested in the construction of new dormitories," Sternberg said. "Our goal is to provide the very best conditions for student life we possibly can, within the constraints of unfortunately tight budgets, which have been made even [tighter] by greatly increased energy costs."
All of the dorms were found to be in sufficient, though not necessarily ideal, condition. It is likely that any renovations will be confined to the summer months because a dormitory offline for an entire semester is not feasible.
Reitman has been commissioned to develop a proposal for a cost-effective renovations plan that will be implemented over the next few years.
TCU Senate President Jeff Katzin was pleased with the response generated by the Senate resolution. He did not, however, feel that the goal has been achieved: The walking tour, he said, was a response to the resolution, but there have been no concrete plans for renovations yet arranged.
"We got a physical response from the administration, they took it into consideration and acted upon it, but unfortunately it is not something that can be acted upon right away," Katzin said.
