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Major projects near completion

 With two major projects nearing completion and some other new developments, the university is showing no signs of slowing down construction.

 The addition to Bailey Science Center, which costs approximately $3.1 million, is scheduled to be completed on June 1, while renovations to Ashley Hall, costing approximately $5 million, have a scheduled completion date of Oct. 1.

 Sue Fuciarelli, vice president for finance and administration, is confident that these projects will be completed on time.

 “VSU is fortunate to have a very highly professional facility planning staff which includes Ray Sable, Robert Tindall and Victoria Douglas,” she said. “Each of these individuals works closely with the architects and construction companies to make sure projects are completed on time and are within budget.”

 The university is also working on increasing the amount of student parking available on campus for commuter students.

 “We are waiting for Board of Regents approval for the university to purchase the former Barnes Drugstore property, which is currently owned by the VSU Foundation, Inc.,” Fuciarelli said. “If that purchase is approved, the immediate plan is to use the property for parking.”

Ashley Cinemas was also recently purchased by VSU and is now available to faculty, staff and students looking for daytime parking Monday to Friday.

 Projects at VSU are done according to most urgent needs; things that will benefit the university, faculty, and students are considered urgent.

 Funds for these projects come from the general operating expenses budget that is created for each year.

 The university tries to schedule construction so that it does not disrupt the academic environment.

 “When possible we try to schedule projects during holidays, spring break and summer so that there is as little disruption to the academic mission as possible,” Fuciarelli said.

 The construction does disrupt some students though.

 “The construction noise is annoying and distracting during class and tests,” Kaytlin Marie Alston, a sophomore legal studies major, said. “I also do not like how you never know if the sidewalk is going to be blocked or not.”

 Victor Adebowale, a sophomore chemistry major, felt the construction was being dragged on.

 “The construction in front of Ashley, it’s been happening a little too long,” he said. “Since the construction has been going on, no one has any space to carry on events that they used to have, like their little barbeques.”

 Some students are pretty indifferent to the noise, though.

 “I always have my headphones on, so I don’t even notice,” Mark Ansley, a freshman engineering major, said.

 Eight other major maintenance and repair projects were also recently completed.

 During spring break the construction projects completed included: Seago House parking area grading, the maintenance of multiple sidewalks around campus and the addition of new concrete pads under bicycle racks.

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