Campus Renovations

Renovation. Funding. What do Oberlin College students really think? Hi, I'm Una. Hi, I'm Danielle. And I'm Safira. We're standing outside of the Science Center, interviewing passing students on our small campus about the ongoing construction. Over the past couple of years, Oberlin has rolled out various projects.

From the building of a new dorm known as West, set to open in the fall of 2025, as the college tries to phase out off campus housing. To redoing half of Wilder Hall, a center for student gathering, faculty offices, the mail room, and two dining options. To a sustainable infrastructure program in a quest to be carbon neutral by 2025.

We're hoping to get the scoop on student opinions about the impact of these projects.

Could you give us your name?

Luna: Luna King O'Brien.

Gavriel: My name is Gavriel Ganger,

Tarin: Taryn Schwartz.

Kali: My name is Callie,

Ella: My first name is Ella

, my question for [00:01:00] you today is, what are your thoughts on renovations on campus, like West, the new dorm building, or the renovations in Wilder Hall?

Luna: Well, I think that renovations, especially in Wilder it's a good idea because I know that they were pretty outdated. and the new ODA accessibility, , spot, I visited it during their open house and it looked very cool. So I'm glad that they have a new space for testing and stuff. As for West Hall, this new big dorm. I've mixed opinions because I know it's part of their plan to kind of phase out off campus housing and I think off campus housing is important to a lot of students. So I'm not really sure if, it's totally necessary but I think it's a cool idea and I, I like the, I like the idea of suite style living.

Gavriel: I've been here for a while, I'm a fourth year, and I don't think I've seen any noticeable improvements. And they seem to be working on things all the time.

[00:02:00] I know construction projects can take a long time, and the college sort of thinks not in, the four year time frame. You know, I'm gonna be here. They're thinking well ahead, but there's a little frustrating that money can go a whole bunch of places and they're probably sinking millions of dollars into projects that aren't gonna benefit me directly

Kali: I honestly think the renovations are really good. They make things a little bit more accessible for a lot of different people. they definitely make the mail room situation a lot easier with the parcel lockers and whatnot. , if you have a smaller item that you just need to pick up, it's better than just like waiting in line for people with packages.

And, honestly, I really liked the new side of Wilder. It's really super, super nice. , it's a really good resources that I've been using for like the clubs I'm involved in. just a really nice place to meet As far as the new dorm building goes, I don't really know much about it. I think it's cool.

, not too big of a fan of them eradicating off campus housing

Tarin: Well I'm only a second year, so I don't have many thoughts. But last year I lived in Barrows and I woke up every morning to the sounds of the construction. Every day.

Ella: [00:03:00] I feel as if these changes have been relatively inconvenient in terms of, you know, The noise disruption, during the day. I've had friends who live close to where the construction is happening who said that it wakes them up in the morning. I myself have not been super affected by it, but I know that other people have been, and that concerns me in some level.

the renovations to Wilder were pretty frustrating just because it made the traffic more concentrated in a building that already has high traffic. but the ultimate renovations to the mailroom, I feel like have been positive and maybe have made the system a little more smooth running for the workers who work in the mailroom.

So that's maybe a positive change. I generally don't have super strong feelings about it though. I think if it needs to happen, okay. Does it need to happen though?

Separate Follow Ups: And do you think that it's a good use of Oberlin's money, or do you think that there's other

things that they could be spending the funding on?

Gavriel: I think that there's sort of an issue sometimes keeping professors for the long term. example, I'm an econ [00:04:00] major and I feel like a lot of the econ professors are here for a very short period of time. Which sort of hinders, connections you can make with a professor.

Separate Follow Ups: So maybe if they pay them slightly more, with that money, they would stay for longer.

Luna: Air conditioning would be awesome in many of the dorms. Especially in the early fall and spring. I think air conditioning is necessary, for a lot of students who, who may not be able to get an accommodation, but the hot air affects them greatly. I think renovations can sometimes be tricky because they interfere

with school if they're done, during the school year. I think that they're a great idea if there is time and space and the school has enough money to put towards it. But I also, I'm not really sure the budget of Oberlin.

Kali: As far as renovations go, accessibility wise, I think it's a good use of funding to make things more accessible for people who can't get to it.

I feel like maybe oberlin could be doing a little [00:05:00] bit more for OSCA, helping them out a little bit more, but that's just, it's, it's different because it's like obviously , it's a non profit that kind of is run by Oberlin students, but I do feel like they could be helping them out a little bit more, , especially with some of their facilities .

Tarin: I do think the new dorm will be really nice and I know that a lot of people, had issues getting housing this year, so. New dorms is probably a good move, especially because some of the dorms are older

Ella: I am not quite sure about the renovations for Wilder because I feel like there was some concern about the building just being old and, you know, falling apart in some ways. Maybe there being, issues with plumbing and whatnot. So regarding Wilder, I feel like I have less knowledge about the nec the necessity of the construction.

but regarding the new dorm, I feel like that use of funding is directly correlated to Oberlin over enrolling. The past several years. I think that while that is a reason it is a reason that could be remedied by the Oberlin administration. I feel like the money could have [00:06:00] been better used maybe to expedite the process of the clean energy, agreement that Oberlin has had, to be fully green.

By 2025. I feel like maybe that process has been slowed down because of that. I don't know.

Danielle: Yeah, thank you so much and I hope you have a great rest of your day.