Published Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Campus Buildings to Receive Facelift
By Michael Lisman
APPIAN STAFF WRITER

As the class of 2005 picks up after itself at the conclusion of final exams, so too the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) has decided that a campus face-lift is in order for the summer of 2005.

HGSE Dean Ellen Condliffe Lagemann announced earlier this week that capital improvements to the Appian Way campus would proceed over the course of the summer and will focus on building improvements to Gutman Library and Larsen Hall.

New carpeting will be installed on Gutman’s second-floor reading and study areas, and new furniture is expected later in the summer. Larsen Hall’s lobby, likewise, will be re-stocked with new furniture, coffee tables, and signs.

Plans are also underway to improve Longfellow Hall, as well as to increase the reach of wireless Internet access along Appian Way.

“I’ve spent more than a few hours napping on those orange couches in the second-floor,” said Rafael Martinez, a graduating Ed.M. candidate in International Education Policy. "It may not impact me, but I’m sure next year’s students will appreciate some new ones." 

Other students may find the news surprising, given the grand plans to move HGSE permanently to the developing Allston campus.  But a spokesperson from the Dean’s Office emphasized that such a relocation is still years away.  

“Plans for Allston are in the very early stages, and the Appian Way campus is our home for the near future," said Director of Communications Michael Rodman. "We have a responsibility to today’s students—and tomorrow’s students—to provide the best possible learning environment, and that includes buildings that are in good repair and have been upgraded to meet changing student needs.”

The Dean’s office did not disclose an estimate of the total cost of the improvement campaign, though Rodman indicated that HGSE “will be able to pay for these renovations from non-recurring savings we were able to achieve in this year's budget. Each project will be costed out discretely as it occurs.”

Whether or not HGSE leaves for Allston in the near future, Rodman suggested that the repairs not only benefit incoming students, but they are also a shrewd investment. 

“When the time comes for us to move to Allston, we will ‘sell’ our buildings to another Harvard school," he said.  "If our facilities are in good repair, they will be more valuable."

Michael Lisman is an Ed.M. candidate in the International Education Policy Program, and a member of the Appian Board of Editors.