Offices will shift in H. Hall

Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum confirmed plans for the College of Arts and Sciences' office space to move to Houston Hall yesterday morning. The decision came less than 24 hours after Interim Provost Marvin Lazerson said plans to move were not definite and were simply being discussed. He said a proposal will be announced within two weeks. Under the new plan, the College offices will move from the Mellon Bank Building mezzanine to Houston Hall before the 1994-95 school year begins. As a result, the VPUL office will leave Houston Hall and move into the Mellon Bank Building. And the Office of Student Life, Activities and Facilities will be moved from its current Houston Hall location on the first floor. McCoullum said a new location for the office has not been decided. She said by the time plans are finalized, other offices may be affected as well. A task force will be established to evaluate the space available and "determine the specifics of where everything is going to be," said Assistant Director of the Office of Student Life Kathy Krautter last night. "I've been given the impression that the major thrust behind the task force is to work with representatives from the College, the University Life division and the student body," she added. "That is certainly a step in the right direction." "We'll be sorting out who will be going where," McCoullum said. Director of the Office of Student Life Fran Walker said she wants to "wait and see" about the space issue before voicing an opinion on the moves. McCoullum said she is "excited" that VPUL offices will have more space and will be close to the future site of the Revlon precinct. "We're finally going to press forward," she said. "This symbolizes the first of the Revlon precinct moves. "We want to create a new, livelier North campus," she added. Santirocco said the College wants its own precinct. "The SAS deserves a campus area too," he said yesterday. "With Logan Hall, Williams Hall, College Hall, and now Houston Hall, it will be appropriate that the SAS be located in its own precinct. "The largest student service on this campus is the College," he added. Both Santirocco and McCoullum said their current offices are in poor condition. "We need quarters that are more properly configured for students," Santirocco said. "We have inadequate space because we're located in the mezzanine level of Mellon." "I think there are real opportunities to upgrade our facilities," McCoullum said. "It means an expansion of space for the VPUL offices." But Krautter said she is unhappy with the changes. "It is difficult for people like myself whose whole lives have been spent working to enhance the extra- curricular life of students to watch the place they call their student center becoming academic," she said. "The oldest student center in the country is moving away from providing for the interaction of students, faculty and staff beyond academics." But McCoullum said no student services or student offices will be moved from Houston Hall. Krautter is also disappointed with the lack of communication preceding the decision. "I had no opportunity to express my concerns about the issue," she said. "Knowing that the decision has been made without that is difficult." "I have been briefing my central staff every week," McCoullum said in response. "I think some of the directors did not tell some of their staff members but I want them to follow the pattern I have established." As one of those directors, Walker said she will adopt open methods. "There is going to be more discussion from now on, and that is the important thing," Walker said. Lazerson was unavailable for comment.