Facilities management has been preparing all summer for the new faces and excitement that is coming to campus for the 2014-2015 school year. The summer of 2014 has been very productive, resulting in many significant improvements to the facilities where members of the campus community live, teach, work and play. Facilities Management staff has been busy preparing student rooms, renovating offices, painting and preparing the campus landscape.

The biggest environmental change on campus is the renovation to Elizabeth Hall. Elizabeth Hall’s roof was replaced with a metal one similar to that used when the building was first built in the early 1890s, which supports Stetson’s efforts to be environmentally responsible. Metal roofs reflect heat; it is hoped this will significantly reduce Stetson’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Metal roofs have useful lives that are three times longer than asphalt shingles, and it can be recycled when the roof needs to be replaced. When asked the benefits of the metal roof, Albert Allen, associate vice president for facilities management said, “A shingle roof in Florida has an expected life of 15 years where a metal roof has an expected life of 45 years. While a metal roof has a twenty percent premium in ‘first cost’ over the life of the two roof system, a metal roof is a better investment.” Other repairs in Elizabeth include new furniture, flooring and painting in faculty members’ offices.

The projects that Stetson University has completed in the summer of 2014 cost in excess of 3.5 million dollars. “Each year we continue to improve the areas where our campus community lives, learns, teaches, works and plays,” said Allen. “The improvements include renovations of residence halls, classrooms, faculty offices, air conditioning, campus dining. All of these enhance the Stetson campus experience. It is rewarding for every associate of Facilities Management to be part of enhancing the campus facilities. We are appreciative of the efforts by so many that have resulted in our  increase in enrollment, providing the financial resources to better serve our campus community and for the administration’s commitment to improve our campus facilities.”

Some of the changes that Stetson students, faculty and staff will notice in the fall are listed below:

Student Residences

• Every bathroom in Chaudoin Hall was renovated and remodeled with new plumbing, bathroom fixtures, vanities, ventilation, flooring, walls. The suite bathrooms were remodeled and provide the student with enhanced privacy. In addition, the windows have new blinds and all bedrooms have new dressers.
• The bathrooms in the center wing of Emily Hall have been remodeled with new plumbing, bathroom fixtures, vanities, flooring, walls, ventilation and enhanced privacy.
• New blinds were installed at University Hall.
• Nemec Hall has a new roof and an expanded kitchen.
• Electronic access systems were installed at the fraternity honors houses. Electronic access enhances the security for our resident students. All of our traditional residence halls now have electronic access.
• The bedrooms in Hatter Hall have new flooring and mattresses.
• The bedrooms in the University Village Apartments have new mattresses.

Dining Services

• Working with Student Affairs and Dining Services, Johnny Rockets is being installed at the HatRack in the Carlton Union Building. Johnny Rockets is a popular national brand that will serve our students, faculty and staff with excellent hamburgers, fries, soft drinks and milk shakes. Stetson is one of eight campuses across the country that provides a Johnny Rockets. In addition new furniture and seating has been installed in the HatRack.
• The Coffee Shop has been outfitted with new furniture.

o   The coffee shop received a “face-lift”, according to Valinda Wimer, director of purchasing and business services. “I loved the purple furniture and knew the Coffee Shop would be the perfect place for these items. I wanted to still keep the eclectic feel. I hope the students like the changes.”

• The air conditioning serving the Commons has been improved.
• New food service equipment has been installed on the grill and pizza line in the Commons Dining Room.

Hollis Center

• New roof
• New furniture in the Lounge
• Refinished the wood floor in the Aerobics Room and basketball floor in Rinker Fieldhouse
• New cover to protect floor in the Rinker Fieldhouse during non-athletic events

Academic Buildings

• Presser Hall

o   Renovated two classrooms, created five faculty offices, installed efficient plumbing fixtures that will reduce the consumption of water by at least fifty percent.

• Davis Hall

o   Prepared four offices for faculty members

o   Improved classrooms 106 with new cooling, ceiling tile and flooring; improved classroom 102

• Flagler Hall

o   Prepared four faculty offices with new furniture, flooring, paint and ceiling tile

o   Create a lab from rooms 336 and 338

o   Renovated restrooms on lower level

o   Created additional space for the Digital Arts department with improved areas for projects, motion capture room, and soldering and faculty office space.

o   Improved the commuter student parking spaces

• Lynn Business Center

o   Prepared offices for two new faculty members with furniture and painting, relocated six faculty members to different offices

o   Relocated the Associate Dean of the School of Business Administration into renovated suite 112

• Sage Science Center

o   Created six faculty offices, created a teaching lab, improved four classrooms and made improvements to the greenhouse

• Allen Hall

o   Increased the size of classroom 103 and improved the lighting

Athletic Facilities

• Installed new turf on practice fields used by the football, lacrosse and soccer teams
• Installed new winds screen at the Mandy Stoll Tennis Center and west side tennis courts
• Refinished the wood courts in the Edmunds Center

Griffith Hall  

• Replaced HVAC duct work that will improve comfort and reduce consumption of electricity
• Installed new parking signs in all parking areas on campus

“Please know this is truly a team effort,” said Wimer. “I could not do what I do without having the assistance of Facilities, my staff and the staff at the Coffee Shop. Summer time is truly hectic, but we love what we do.”

By Grace Aguda