On Thursday, the Emerald reported that a committee made up of eight students and a University staff member will decide how to spend more than $4 million in funds from the building committee. Several of the projects come from the EMU.
While funding any or all of the six EMU projects before the committee will only be a small drop in the bucket for the EMU, it is clear that the EMU needs renovation and if the projects have to be approved one at a time, that may be the way to go.
The inclusion of the EMU “Master Plan,” which was developed four years ago and is estimated to cost $77 million, in the list of proposals was intended to keep the committee updated on the plan. While it is obvious this particular chunk of money can’t fully fund the EMU, it is apparent that the building needs the work.
The entire renovation is intended to be done in phases, but the University, and students, should make a commitment to trying to find a way to address the space and maintenance issues in the building.
One of the EMU’s requests before the building fee committee asks for $2 million to renovate the building’s lower west wing, which houses the computer lab and several student unions. This area contains some of the building’s oldest mechanical systems and desperately needs renovation not only to fix the failing mechanics, but also to address the lack of space for the huge number of students who use the building. This renovation would also affect mechanical systems in the River Rooms, where meetings and events are held. Because so many students use this portion of the building, this proposal is a good place to start what will be a long and expensive process to renovate the entire building.
According to EMU Director Dusty Miller, the EMU has about $10 million in deferred maintenance costs. It seems logical to assume that the longer these problems go unaddressed, the worse they will get.
Over winter break, three fans that help to heat the building broke down, and there are days when buckets catch the rainfall that leaks through the roof. Heavy rainfall presents a concern about possible flooding. In recent weeks, electrical problems around campus caused the building’s fire alarm system to malfunction, forcing the building to close for the night. While this particular problem seems to have been connected to a campus-wide issue, it certainly served as a reminder that other systems within the building are failing.
The plan would also make the building more sustainable. Outdated heating and cooling systems and inefficient windows make the EMU’s energy costs much higher than they could be. Renovations that would make the building more green and save money on energy costs are long overdue.
Built in the 1950s, the EMU is hardly the oldest building on campus, but it one of the most important and most heavily used. It is home to the offices of more than 200 student organizations, as well as the location of services such as the Designated Driver Shuttle, Assault Prevention Shuttle and the ASUO Legal Services office. The various services and retailers in the building employ 600 students.
Anyone who has worked in the EMU or attended meetings of one of the many groups that have their offices in the building knows there is virtually no space to move around in. Offices are cramped and there is no room for extra retailers who could help bring more money to the building. While we hope the master plan can be funded in ways that keep costs to students as low as possible, it is clear that plans for making this happen need to be put in place.