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Post by unionguy on Aug 5, 2008 14:14:34 GMT -5
To answer a few of the lingering questions that have been submitted:
All grass inside the side walks up to the Union will be sodded and owned by the landscaper until the first mowing. All other areas outside the sidewalks will be seeded.
About opening- The Union will open on January 4, 2009 for students when they return from semester break. The Official Grand Opening and Dedication will be Jan.30-31 & Feb. 1, 2009
The project is on schedule and moving along at a steady pace. As the landscaping is being completed on the outside work on the interior moves along. There are major changes every day.
If you have more questions about this project I would be very willing to answer them.
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Aug 5, 2008 14:20:41 GMT -5
Oh, I have some questions! 1. On the floor plans that are on the website, there are two rooms on the northwest corner of the second floor that say "unfinished." Have those rooms been designated for anything yet? 2. Will there be a national food chain of any sort in the new union (besides Freshens)? If no, have there been any attempts at getting a national chain? And if no, why? 3. Will the outdoor terrace on the second floor be open throughout the day like the one in the Christopher Center? Thanks for your help! I can't wait to give tours of the union when it opens.
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Post by agibson on Aug 5, 2008 15:23:58 GMT -5
I would put more emphasis on athletic facilities before academic facilities, just because our academic facilities are not that bad in my opinion. They might not be the cleanest/most modern, but it's hard to really improve desks and projectors. I just really think we need a new track DESPERATELY, followed by expanded recreational fitness facilities, and then a new arena. Be a bit careful, Valpo is primarily an educational institution! Some of the teaching facilities are in pretty bad shape. The basement of Muller is pretty scary, by most accounts. I think I've heard that Nursing and Education are also in pretty bad shape. Neils (Science) could use some upgrades even to the classroom space. The one room where most of the intro physics classes are taught was 90+ degrees on several occasions when I was teaching there. We moved classes more than once, and sweated through them a number of other times. I think Chemistry and Biology are in pretty serious need of upgrades to their student laboratory facilities. And, having better faculty lab space would be extremely helpful if Valpo is serous about undergrad research, attracting science faculty who will maintain a research program, etc. So, it's not just about desks and projectors! And, yes, even things such as these can be improved.
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Post by unionguy on Aug 5, 2008 16:15:57 GMT -5
Okinawa- Answers
1. The unfinished space is just what it is, unfinished. We will decide at a later date after we have been in there and decide what we need. Great for future planning.
2. No- We do not outsource any of our operations except for Freshens. That is a philosophy we have and we adhere to. We are a self-op operation and stick with it.
3. Outdoor terrace will have furniture on it and will be open for use by everyone during building operation hours. There are also outdoor dining areas on both the east and west side. Each area will have outdoor furniture available.
Once you get in the building you will be very impressed. It is magnificent.
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Post by 78crusader on Aug 5, 2008 19:47:46 GMT -5
I stand by my observation that the area surrounding campus is not what you would call, um, attractive. It has been pointed out the areas surrouding other universities is not all that great -- but the examples given are all schools located in large cities. The problem with this comparison is -- the prospective students who visit those campuses are not the same kids who visit VU. The kids who visit our campus have, in many cases, seen the areas surrounding, for instance, Wheaton, Hope, Illiniois Wesleyan, Luther, Wartburg, St. Olaf, Gustavus Adolphus and other comparable schools. The neighborhood surrounding VU is nowhere near as pleasant as what these other schools enjoy and, as a result, is something that VU has to overcome to get kids to come here. For that reason I would think the administration would want to make every effort possible to make our campus as attractive as possible. Paul
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Aug 6, 2008 10:52:22 GMT -5
Unionguy -- I know the union will be named after former president Harre, but what will be the exact name, and where will the name of the union go on the physical outside of the building? Sorry this question is so specific.
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Post by fwalum on Aug 6, 2008 12:08:59 GMT -5
There is a school that is not on your list that I think we are competing against on an increasing basis. Calvin College in Grand Rapids is getting more students from Concordia Lutheran High School here in Fort Wayne then VU is currently getting. Many of the students that I know that have gone or are going to Calvin are the kids of VU alumni. This year's valedictorian (daughter of a VU alum) will be in Calvin's pre-med program. Similiar to VUNice Biology EquipmentIt doesn't hurt that they also have a very nice wooded campus in suburban GR.
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Post by valpofan56 on Aug 6, 2008 13:11:32 GMT -5
I've been to Calvin College and I was far less than impressed with their campus. It was nice, but all the buildings look the same and to me anyways it feels more like a business complex than a university campus.
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Post by fwalum on Aug 6, 2008 13:28:03 GMT -5
I've been to Calvin College and I was far less than impressed with their campus. It was nice, but all the buildings look the same and to me anyways it feels more like a business complex than a university campus. I have not actually been on campus just have driven around it in GR. Just repeating what I was told by some of these parents. I can tell you that they started recruiting at CLHS very strongly about 6 years ago and have had pretty good success.
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Aug 6, 2008 13:36:42 GMT -5
Does Calvin even have an athletic program? To me, that's a turn-off if they don't. EDIT: They do, but it's not D1. If VU didn't have D1, I probably wouldn't come even though I don't participate in sports. To me, it sets VU apart from other small religious schools.
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Post by 78crusader on Aug 6, 2008 14:12:20 GMT -5
OK, a question then: why is Calvin, a Dutch-reformed school, doing going in to a Lutheran school located a couple of hours away from Ft. Wayne, and walking out of there with kids that VU ought to be getting? What's going on here, and do the admissions people know about this? If not, why not? And if so, then what are they going to do about it? I don't see us going in to Grand Rapids and walking out with a lot of Dutch reformed kids. Am I wrong about this? I will repeat my earlier observation: the area surrouding VU is unattractive at best (and downright seedy at worst), so, to my way of thinking, VU ought to make sure its campus is absolutely perfect so that visitors can overcome the negative reaction they get when seeing the surrouding neighborhood. I personally know of two kids, whose parents could pay the full tuition price and then some, who were so turned off the the neighborhood they wanted to leave and go home right then and there. (They wound up at Butler and Luther.) Is anyone on this board able to forward this entire thread to admissions/the new president/a board member? They should know about the thoughts we have shared. The fact that Calvin, a very religious and conservative place, is getting kids that VU should be getting is worrisome. I think it's part of a trend ... there are a number of conservative students out there that VU is missing out on. They are going to places like Calvin, or Wheaton, or Oral Roberts (yes, even Oral Roberts, with all its financial problems). Paul
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Post by unionguy on Aug 6, 2008 14:32:45 GMT -5
The actual title of the building will be the Harre Union. The name will appear in a number of places on the exterior and near the roof line. The name will also occur on directional signs around the building. There will be no lack of name recognition on the exterior. There will also be a sand blasted seal with the the name at the main entrance into the Atrium Lobby (south entrance). I will be glad to answer any other questions anyone might have.
A little size comparison, we had a group visiting from the University of Kentucky, enrollment 27,000 and their Union is 212,000. Our Union will be 202,000. We are in a league with many larger schools that smaller Unions than we do. Bowling Green 165,000. Everyone should be very proud of what VU has accomplished in building the new Union. It will be a great recruiting and retention tool.
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Aug 6, 2008 15:11:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the info Unionguy! Great answers. 78crusader, I actually work in the admissions department, albeit I'm just a student aide and tour guide. I know the admissions counselor who works with that area of Michigan (and I also know the one who works in the Fort Wayne area), so if I remember I'll ask them about this. I don't go into the office for about 3 weeks though. My thinking with Calvin is that students are going there because they want to get out of Indiana, and they want a more religious experience than Valpo maybe? Maybe the fact that we have D1 sports turns some students off who want all of the attention on academics. I think it's best to have sports to have a well-rounded college experience.
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Post by 78crusader on Aug 6, 2008 15:26:13 GMT -5
So, Okinawa, since you work in Admissions and give tours of campus, what is your take on what prospective students and their parents think of our campus? What do they like? What do you sense that they do not like? If one thing could be changed about VU to attract more students, what do you think it would be, and why? Thanks, Paul
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Aug 6, 2008 17:20:22 GMT -5
Tours aren't as interactive as you might think. Most of the time it's like pulling teeth to get them to even ask questions, so it's hard to gauge interest. The few times I have heard from some students and families about campus, most of them liked the appearance of the campus, but had trouble navigating the city (mostly thanks to the roundabout) and campus. The campus has made strides at directional signs and whatnot, but there just aren't enough of them, especially towards the residential halls. It's so easy to get lost! To get closer to the answer to your question, most students like the small size of Valpo and our major facilities (the Christopher Center, the Chapel, and the VUCA, specifically). We really don't take them into many campus buildings other than that. But I honestly think that once the new union opens, it will sway a lot of students. I really think that improved landscaping, A/C in the residence halls, and improved sidewalks could really attract more students, or at least get them back to campus for an overnight visit or something like that. Most students (especially from the south) cringe at the thought of no A/C in the dorms, and it's hard to convey that it really isn't a problem when they get tours in the summer. Sorry for the random jottings. I tried to make it coherent, but I feel very passionate about campus aesthetics.
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