Oregon legislators passed the Heritage Renovation Project into the 2021-2023 budget on June 26. The proposal asks for $58.5 million, for repairs on University and Villard Hall, to allow more students access to math, performance arts and literary arts classes.
According to a memo from the UO Government and Community Relations, both halls “no longer meet the needs of today’s students.” The memo cites obsolete heating and piping systems, spaces that are inaccessible for people with physical disabilities and structural instability as major issues in both halls.
“These buildings were built in the 1800s,” Hans Bernard, the Associate Vice President for State and Community Affairs at UO, said. “They’re nearing the end of their life.”
Janet Rose, UO theater department senior instructor, said the lighting in some rooms at Villard Hall feels like it’s “from the 1960s.” Rose began working at Villard Hall in 1987 — before the building had an elevator. According to her, accessibility and updated technology in classrooms are necessary for the hall to meet modern learning standards.
Rose said previous additions partially addressed some of the issues Villard Hall faces — including an air conditioning system installed in the TV studio on the third floor — however, a greater effort is needed to modernize the spaces.
Many of the buildings’ spaces are not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, which requires spaces to be accessible for people with disabilities. Rose said the hallways are too narrow, and classrooms have few accessible surfaces for people with physical disabilities to make use of the buildings.
Rose said she was also concerned about the project’s interference with teaching for the next school year: “Will I need to move out of my office for a month or a year?”
The latest capital plan, assembled in 2018, provides no information as to whether students and faculty will be displaced. UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard said the university doesn’t expect construction to begin until early 2023. UO doesn’t expect students or faculty to be relocated until that time, he said.
Campus renovation proposals like the Heritage Renovation Project receive significant amounts of funding from the state, Bernard said. According to the Public University Budget Report Summary, UO received around $390 million in state funds between 2015 and 2020. In the same time period, Portland State University received about $500 million, and Oregon State University received about $670 million.
Bernard said the campus is able to function because of Eugene legislators who support funding bills.
The project is part of SB 5505 — a larger proposed bill in the Oregon Senate. The bill includes a variety of other maintenance projects for other Oregon public universities and community colleges and funding for affordable housing.
UO Government and Community Relations will ask students to voice their support on proposals, Bernard said. He said student and faculty voices are “critical for projects like this to pass.”
Departments located in University and Villard Hall — the math and theater departments — sent emails to students asking them to write to state legislators. Although no students testified for the bill, two UO faculty members submitted written testimony in favor.
Under the guidelines set by the Historic Preservation Requirements for Repairs and Alterations, the buildings’ original architectural styles will be preserved during maintenance.
