While students are busy updating phones and laptops, staff is busy updating campus for the new school year. New streetlights, better technology and more classrooms are all in store for upcoming semesters.

Once spring semester ended, campus updates began. Multiple classroom renovations and streetlight updates started May 15, Phil Gatton, director of the Physical Plant, said. New classrooms in Pulliam Hall, better air systems in Faner Hall, faster communications and new streetlights should all be ready for fall semester.

New ceiling and flooring is being installed in Faner Hall, Neckers and the Agriculture Building. Several classrooms were in need of maintenance work and many needed technology updates with laptops and issues with projectors.

In the past, controlling the heating and air conditioning temperatures in Faner Hall was difficult. The Physical Plant staff has since replaced heating and air units in several classrooms and is working on the University Museum and Auditorium.

“It will be much more cost efficient and easier to maintain,” Gatton said.

He said the temperatures should be more moderate making the classrooms comfortable for students.

Those in Pulliam Hall will also see major changes. The pool and gym areas are being converted into studio, lab and classroom space, Gatton said. Art and Design classes, as well as social work classes, will be using the new areas.

The work began August 2012 and is currently on schedule.

“Once we get done, we will have worked on over 100 classrooms,” Gatton said.

Along with more comfortable classrooms, students will be able to enjoy better technology.

David Crain, assistant provost and chief information officer for information technology, said campus would have fiber optics cables to improve connectivity.

“Our goal is to become a leader in information technology,” Crain said. “Technology is important to students and becoming a technology leader will benefit their learning experiences.”

Campus will have faster networking between buildings, outdoor wireless in main areas and “voice over IP.” Voice over Internet Protocol (IP) is a communication system allowing voice calls through Internet connections. Calls can now be forwarded to tables, laptops and cell phones, not just landline phones.

Crain said the communications lines are almost 30 years old and would cost more to replace and maintain. Sending voice over the data network is accommodating the phones as well as Internet.

An AT&T cell tower is also being installed at the top of Morris Library.

“It’s a safety issue, and a convenience, because many phones won’t work in certain areas on campus,” Crain said. “It’s a big improvement for students.”

Grounds and maintenance staff are also working to install LED lighting on campus. Cost of LED lighting has dropped significantly and is more natural, Gatton said.

“We’re trying to be more cost efficient and have better quality lighting,” Gatton said

The project has been broken into phases, with the first on track to be done by the start of classes. The first phase includes the lights in front of the Student Services Building extending to Thompson Point.

“We’re hoping to be done with the first by the time school starts,” Chuck Ragland, an electrician for the Physical Plant, said.

Ragland is part of the group working on installing the Lincoln Drive streetlights.

There will be two more phases of lighting updates continuing along Lincoln Drive. The same LED lights were installed by Faner Hall and the pedestrian walkway over Highway 51.

Gatton said the lighting has been well received and thinks the new lighting will work well for the rest of campus. Thompson Woods will also get new lighting, as well as new walkways.

“I’m hoping that everything will be done within a year,” Gatton said.

Keturah Tanner can be reached at [email protected] or 536-3311 ext. 254