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What's the Buzz on the Darwin Hall Remodel
Question:
SSU is allocated $26 million from Proposition 47 that the voters passed
last year for facilities upgrades, which can be used for no other purpose.
In order to renovate Darwin Hall with those funds, how will the University
provide science and technology classes and faculty offices when the building
must be completely empty for a year and a half?
Charles Darwin Hall was built in 1967 and was constructed on the then-new
Sonoma State College site. The four story, 111,821 sq. ft. building is
home to six of the nine departments and programs of the School of Science
and Technology, which include biology, chemistry, computer science, geology,
mathematics, and physics & astronomy. This building has 18 wet labs,
9 general purpose labs, 7 general purpose classrooms, 60 faculty offices,
and 8 administrative spaces, meeting rooms, and storage areas. While the
building serves the basic needs of the students, faculty and staff of
SSU, technologies have changed since 1967 which requires a complete renovation
of this building.This work will improve the energy systems, making them
more efficient and less costly; improve the laboratories to accommodate
myriad updated equipment and systems; and provide more adequate spaces
for the faculty to work with students on projects and research. Because
most SSU students must take a general education science course, the renovation
of Darwin Hall will affect a great number of SSU students. The citizens
of California agreed the renovation was needed when they passed Prop.
47 which directed dollars to the campus for the project.
The renovation project has two distinct aspects. Design and Transition
1. Design Phase
Over the past few months, the campus facilities architect team, staff
of the Gordon Chung architect firm and the dean and faculty and staff
of the School of Science and Technology have been working together to
create a new floor plan for the renovated building. The plans are near
completion and we expect that within the next month the final plans will
be available for the campus community. According to these plans, the building
will be completely renovated and only the outer shell of the building
and some shear walls and pillars will not change.
This process is similar to the recent renovation of the Salazar Hall,
only more complex due to the large number of instructional and research
laboratories and infrastructure. The vacating of the building will start
in Fall 04.
2. Transition Phase
Unlike the Salazar Hall renovation, where the University Library had a
brand new space to move into before the start of demolition, the entire
activities within the Darwin Hall must temporarily be held elsewhere during
the construction. This is no doubt a painful process for all the students,
faculty and staff who use the building for teaching and learning. However,
the wonderful technology classrooms and laboratories, offices and conference
rooms we now see in Salazar Hall, help us realize that the outcome will
justify the inconveniences. It is clear that with careful planning, which
is taking place now, we can minimize the inconvenience and disruption
in instruction. The exact cost of the transition phase depends on the
details of the transition plan and is currently being discussed.
The task before the University, now, is to find ways to accommodate all
those students, faculty, classrooms and labs in other locations for a
period of a year and a half so the renovation work can be done. (Work
begins in January 2005 and is expected to be completed in Fall 2006.)
It is not possible to do the renovation one floor or half the building
at a time without creating an unsafe environment, longer construction
period, and higher costs.
Saeid Rahimi, the Dean of the School of Science & Technology has initiated
the planning process by forming the Darwin Remodel Transition Team which
is currently evaluating various aspects of the academic needs of the School
during the transition phase. The transition team includes Brian Jersky,
Math (Chair); Eileen Thatcher, Biology; Mark Kearley, Chemistry; Richard
Gordon, Computer Science; Matt James, Geology; and Bryant Hichwa, Physics
& Astronomy. Professor Jersky was chosen as Director of the School’s
Academic Planning. He will, among other things, aid Dean Rahimi in continuing
to plan the transition between the current building and the new remodeled
building.
Some of the challenges faced by the Transition Team is identifying where
the many classes over the period of a year and a half can be taught. An
added complication is that science laboratories and classes often require
the use of sinks and fume hoods, which are not generally found in other
parts of the University. Discussions are taking place between external
parties such as SRJC (Santa Rosa, Petaluma) and the Technology High School
on campus, etc. to identify possible off campus temporary teaching areas.
Several areas on campus are being considered as possible office, classroom
and laboratory space for the transition. These include Information Technology,
University Library, Technology High School, the Mac lab in Carson Hall,
former photo lab in Stevenson Hall, and various classrooms across campus.
Also evening and Saturday schedules are being considered which would call
for an increased flexibility for faculty teaching schedules. Additionally,
the campus is planning to obtain about seven mobile laboratories. At this
point, no exact determinations have been made.
In addition to teaching and research areas, there is a need for storage
(both accessible for teaching and research and deep storage for items
that can remain stored during the transition to the renovated building).
Representatives from the School of Science and Technology plan to report
on the Darwin Hall transition at various campus-wide committees such as
Academic Planning Committee, the Educational Policies Committee, the Academic
Senate, the University Space Committee, Faculty Affairs and internal School
groups such as the Council of Chairs, and the Provost’s Academic
Council.
The Transition Team meets weekly and will develop a planning timeline
for action in the next few weeks.
Go to http://www.sonoma.edu/scitech/ for updates of the renovation plan
as they are developed.
slk, 11/24/03