Administration optimistic Magruder Hall will be open for the start of classes.

Magruder Hall underwent repairs to its heating ventilation and air conditioning system over the summer along with connecting the building to the campus chiller loop that supports the HVAC keeping the system cold. Repairs began in July with the expected completion date being in Nov. 

“We’re hoping so,” provost and interim vice president of academic affairs Tim Walston said about Magruder being open for classes. “I think it’s almost 100% certain that all the lab rooms will be ready to go.” 

Walston was moved to the Interim provost position after former Provost, Eric Freedman, left the University in early July.

 Walston had planned to have the classes scheduled in Magruder in other academic buildings across campus until the expected completion date given by physical plant and specialists grew closer and closer to the start of the school year. 

“We did this project right,” Walston said. “As soon as we noticed there was a problem, we brought in specialists. We got a team from campus together to address it, so there were members of [the] physical plant, members from science and mathematics, members from my office, members from the business office, the campus attorney, and the president. I have to give a lot of credit, especially to the physical plant team that really stepped up and took responsibility. The reason we are going to be opening on time is because we had a lot of people working really hard at it.”

When Walston was elevated from dean of science and mathematics the associate dean of science and mathematics Stephen Hudman was moved into the interim dean of science and math position.

As the dean of the building Hudman oversaw the building more directly and he was appreciative of the unexpectedly speedy construction for not just for his first year as dean, but for the incoming freshman.

“It’s super important,” Hudman said. “Magruder Hall has facilities that we don’t have anywhere else on campus. This is the only spot we have [science labs]. Most of our freshmen who are coming into science majors have at least one lab class and that’s an important experience as a science major.”