Since its founding in 1850 the University of Utah has established itself as a premier public university yet the U’s administration is constantly looking for ways to better their campus.
Many of the U’s students and faculty feel cheated by the fact that the U is such a reputable university and tuition is so costly yet campus facilities are not up to par. Luckily, the U has put a large focus on this in recent years as the campus undergoes major renovations.
Some of the most notable projects currently in progress are the addition to the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House as well as construction of the Carolyn and Kem Gardner Building, which will replace the former Orson Spencer Hall building. While many Utahns are pleased with the construction occurring on campus others see it as a hindrance to their daily routines on campus.
Perhaps the greatest change to campus is the razing of the Orson Spencer Hall, or OSH as students dubbed it. OSH first welcomed U students in the 1950s when it was constructed to look similar to local high schools, thus easing new students into college. Over the last three decades, however, OSH became the face of the argument that the U campus is in dire need of a serious face lift. The building itself provided classrooms for nearly every department. U alumnus Cameron Tear says he remembers “Walking into OSH for a writing class that was next door to a French class on (his) left and a political science class on (his) right.”
Though OSH was practical it did not age with grace. Tear had his final class in OSH in the Fall of 2009 and recalls the building “Being an eyesore. We had such a beautiful, unique campus and then there was OSH, it was a dump.” While support for updating campus facilities is rather unanimous it still raises concern daily life on campus.
U student Stuart Robertson feels distracted by construction saying, “The loud work of crews can often be heard from inside lectures and sometimes makes it hard to focus.” Robertson added that he has “Been late to class when sidewalks are fenced off to be worked on.”
One walk around campus will show numerous construction crews operating loud machinery and working all hours of the day. Tear also voiced some concern for the continual additions to campus. Having grown up in Salt Lake City, and also attending the U Tear reminisced on having so much open grassy space on campus. Tear explained that “Before the Alumni House and other buildings (he) would always get pickup games of football and other sports going after class. The amount of open space for activities like that on campus is slowly dwindling, though.”
The sites, too, are far from the most visually appealing. Large fences, dirt and tire tracks are present all across campus, yet this is a fair price to pay for many including U alumnus Dave Murray.
Murray grew up in Salt Lake City and still lives here to this day which has allowed him to see the spectacular progression of the U campus. Murray is amazed by how much campus has evolved since he graduated in 1996. During his time as an undergrad Murray often felt that the U did not work hard enough to make campus a comfortable and inspiring space for students. Murray, like many, focused on OSH while discussing the outdated spaces on campus and referred to it as “Bland, dilapidated and a disgrace to our exceptional university.” Murray feels as if the U is moving in a positive direction in terms of offering groundbreaking and inspiring facilities for students and staff. “Buildings like Lassonde, the Student Life Center and soon to be the Carolyn and Kem Gardner building are an outstanding use of university money and will provide students with an awesome place to learn and develop. They are a far cry from OSH and the Milton Bennion Hall,” Murray said.
The Carolyn and Kem Gardner building will replace OSH and is slated to serve as a main hub for classrooms on campus for all departments. According to the U Planning, Design and Construction department Fall of 2018 will see the completion of the building, but until then staff and students can continue to expect nonstop construction across campus.
