The Flat Hat Vol. 102, Iss. 32 | Tuesday, February 5, 2013 | Flathatnews.com
Inside Tucker Construction crews gut Tucker Hall, redesign the shape of the interior, add stadium seating in the open area for study, and install new heating
ALL PHOTOS BY HALEY TYMESON / THE FLAT HAT
BY BAILEY KIRKPATRICK FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
Tucker Hall, the former home of the English department, is currently under renovation in order to correct idiosyncratic additions made to the building during previous renovations. The building, originally a in a T shape, was renovated to build a back hallway making Tucker in the shape of an H. Later, the extra space was filled in to create the current shape of the
building. It is these renovations that resulted in the strange shape of the interior. The three-story building actually has six separate levels. The current renovations will connect these floors in order to give the building a more open feel. The construction will result in more navigable and logical corridors and classrooms. It will also add two stairways and an elevator shaft and double the number of faculty offices. The renovations will also bring Tucker
ADMINISTRATION
up to date on safety codes. “This building is going to be much more open, it’s going to be modernized and finally updated to be more accessible to the disabled,” Wayne Boy, Director of Facilities Planning Design and Construction, said. “But we have still preserved the shell of this beautiful building as well as the old entrance with the front stairway and all the marble fixings that give it that old charm.” In addition to these improvements, stadium seating has been added in
the open area on the second floor to give students a place to hang out or professors a place to teach if they want to escape the classroom. The cupola, which used to shine straight down into a faculty office, is now above this open forum area and will shed natural light throughout the third and second floors. The existing ‘Wren’ windows on the third floor and large storefront windows added to the side of the building will add natural light to the seminar rooms and accent that of the cupola.
In order to accomplish these large structural changes, the construction crew had to completely reframe the interior of Tucker to allow it to hold the new fixtures and new floors. Some of the old framing still exists in the main areas, but workers are in the process of outlining new classrooms, stairwells and elevators with steel frames that will later become floors and walls. While creating these new walls, workers are also updating the ductwork, plumbing and heating in the building to modernize the interior entirely.
STUDENT ASSEMBLY
Student Activities reorganizes
SA proposes to subsidize STI testing
Merge duties with the Director of Student Leadership Development
BY MEREDITH RAMEY FLAT HAT NEWS EDITOR
BY KEN LIN FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR
The reorganization of the College of William and Mary Student Activities office over winter break has led to the consolidation of its operations and personnel underneath the umbrella of the expanded Office of Student Leadership Development. The sudden resignation of longtime Director of Student Activities Mark Constantine in the fall semester prompted a See REORGANIZATION page 3
Index
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Today’s Weather
Lorenzen, Lewitz crunch numbers to find best solution for depleted fund Two weeks ago, the Student Assembly halted their sponsorship of free sexually transmitted infection testing due to the depletion of funds. To continue to provide cheaper STI testing and encourage safe sexual lifestyles, Madame Chair of the SA Senate Kendall Lorenzen ’15 introduced the Student Health Act. The SA Senate will vote on the bill tonight and, if approved, the policy will take effect Wednesday. Nicknamed “Lorenzencare,” the bill will subsidize HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia tests by $9. College of William and Mary students being tested for these STIs will be charged as
follows: $16 for an HIV test (originally $25), $9 each for gonorrhea or chlamydia tests (originally $18 each) and $4 for syphilis (originally $13). The bill allocated up to $3,800 to the Health Center to fund these subsidies. “Honestly, it’s not a good situation but I think it’s the best that we can do,” Lorenzen said. For the 2012-13 academic year, the SA budget allocated $17,000 for STI testing. Currently, the accounts rests at about $2,000 at the half way point of the year. According to Lorenzen and Secretary of Health and Safety Jake Lewitz ’13, one reason most of the year’s STI funds were depleted in one semester is that students were abusively overusing the program by receiving full tests
Inside OPINIONS
When irony becomes excessive
Taking an ironic approach to daily life is appealing and addictive. It also simply isn’t worth it. page 4 Mostly sunny High 31, Low 17
Inside VARIETY
multiple times a semester. Last semester, 550 tests were administered to 190 unique students. In comparison, the free flu shot program had over 600 unique student participants. Lewitz described how the SA is trying to incorporate more universally attended events rather than those that only benefit a small number of students. “We’re looking at policy measures to limit excessive use and depletion of funds in the program,” Lewitz said. “The reason why this [fund depletion] happened is because the Student Assembly is spending money on other things. … We’re trying to make it so that student money goes to as many students as possible.” See STI page 3
Students join The Second City
Following in the footsteps of comedians like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert, two College students spend a semester in Chicago learning from the famous improv group. page 5