Trailers provide room for students

By Andrea Vukcevic
Features Editor

“Is CSC 325 in here?” a woman asked when she wandered into Old Main on the first day of classes. “What is that, a computer science class? Sorry, that’s on the other end of campus.”

Apparently, her campus map did not include the modular units that currently house the biology, chemistry and physics, and math and computer science departments.

As UNCP expands to meet existing and future growth, classes and labs once held in the Oxendine Science Building have been temporarily moved to mobile units named after famous scientists like Einstein, Darwin and Escher.

The science building has been under renovation since the beginning of the summer as workers construct a new wing and completely renovate the three-story interior.

Feelings are mixed about the temporary solution, ranging from “fantastic” to “ridiculous.”

John Paul Jones III finds it convenient to have a bathroom located inside his classroom but said the walls are so thin that “our professor told us that if we had plans to be noisy in the restrooms to please refrain from using (it).”

Sophomore Audrey Casciere prefers the modular units because “now we have actual desks,” as opposed to the folding ones attached to the stadium seats in the science building.

Complaints include walking distance, walls that are porous to sound, not enough room to accommodate many students and less board space for lectures.

Dr. Timothy Ritter said students stopped by his office more frequently in the science building because they were already in the hallways, on their way to or from classes. With separate units for professors’ offices, students now “have to want to come by.”

The classrooms are smaller than the lecture hall he is used to, and he finds a “disjointedness” in his teaching routine because supply and preparation rooms are not readily available. “It’s a pain to cart demonstration equipment across campus,” he said.

On the contrary, “it’s the best office I’ve ever been in - the biggest, cleanest, newest,” said biology professor Dr. Paul Flowers. He said the consistent air conditioning is welcome because “we could never rely on the climate control in the old building.”

Biology professor Dr. Bruce Ezell said the units are better than he expected and agreed, “in this weather, it’s all about the air conditioning.”

While feelings about the temporary units remain lukewarm among students and professors, Dr. Siva Mandjiny raves about them. “I love it! I have good space (in my office) and the air conditioning is amazing,” he said, and added he would stay in the units if he could because now his office has a window. One complaint he has is that moist air condenses and occasionally drips onto electrical sockets, creating a potential fire hazard.

University Engineer Bess Tyner said the problem was “puzzling” but is being fixed. The three lab units, three classroom units and six office units total 44,000 square feet and some were custom outfitted with input from professors who would be teaching in the classrooms.

The units are being leased for 14 months and the renovations to the science building are scheduled to be completed by Fall 2004.

Students and faculty are adjusting now but await construction completion.