Prof. Rajeev Kinra remembers his office in the pre-renovation version of Harris Hall. His door was so old it wouldn’t fully close within the door frame. Because it was always ajar, he could hear everything down the hall, from other classes to rock band rehearsals.
Kinra and the rest of the history department no longer have to worry about broken doors now that Harris Hall, located just north of the Arch, officially reopened Monday after being closed for renovations, which began in February 2009 and include updated classrooms and new faculty lounges, staff offices and electrical, plumbing, sprinkler and fire alarm systems, according to NU’s website.
Laura Hein, a professor of Japanese history whose office is in Harris, said one of the professors’ favorite improvements is better classrooms.
“The shape and size of a classroom really affects the classroom experience for teachers and students,” Hein said.
John Bushnell, a professor of Russian and European history, said the changes will affect classes positively.
“I like the new teaching spaces in the lower level,” Bushnell said. “The seminar rooms are equipped with all the latest technological capabilities.”
The renovations put an end to multiple violations of building and fire codes, said John Brzezinski, senior project manager for Facilities Management Design and Construction . The improvements also reduced overcrowded classrooms and electrical and plumbing problems.
“The bathrooms were really dark and creepy to go into by yourself,” SESP senior Catherine Curry said.
Still, some students appreciated the antique appearance of the building before it was renovated.
“I didn’t have a problem with (the old building),” Weinberg senior Jerrica Tisdale said. “I liked the old feel to it.”
Curry said she appreciates the builders’ efforts to preserve historic elements of the building.
“I like how they kept the old marble on the main floor,” she said.
During construction, the history department relocated its offices to the 1800 Sherman Ave. building, a move that some faculty members said compromised instruction. Several history professors noticed, for example, that they had less interaction with students once they moved to Sherman Avenue. They said students were discouraged from going to office hours because of the long distance between the office and the rest of campus.
“I felt like I wasn’t really a part of campus life,” Bushnell said.
Professors had to travel a greater distance between their offices and classrooms.
Bushnell said he had to pack his books away in many different places “like a squirrel.”
“Because (the history department) was so large, (moving to Sherman Avenue) was the only alternative we had,” History Department Business Administrator Paula Blaskovits said.
The history department now plans to host faculty-student luncheons for undergraduate and graduate students in Harris, Blaskovits said. She hopes that these luncheons will help rebuild relationships between students and history professors.
Despite the inconveniences of the renovations, many professors said the new Harris Hall is greatly improved.
“A year and a half exile (from campus) to get this is worth it,” Kinra said.
