With the TLC remaining partially closed and the ISUB completely closed, many students, faculty and staff are required to readjust.
With some relocations still in place, people affected are understanding of the university’s current situation.
Efforts to install the new transformer on the north side of the building began Nov. 12. The installation is estimated to take two weeks. The new transformer will be a permanent installation to replace the transformer that was damaged Nov. 1 from flooding in the basement caused by a failure of the water filtration system. The ISUB/TLC should fully reopen by the first week of December.
“It should continue as planned as long as they can get the concrete down,” said Jodi Walker, UI director of communications. “As long as the weather holds, and they don’t run into any unforeseen problems, it shouldn’t take longer than two weeks.”
Walker also said that the rooms for relocated classes, which can be found on the university’s class schedule website, will remain the same for the duration of the semester.
University employees with offices in the ISUB/TLC have also been relocated during the closure. Their temporary offices may remain until the end of the semester, but that is still undecided, Walker said.
“Well, obviously I’m not in my office,” Jessika Glover, administrative assistant for the university’s advising services and academic support programs, said. Like many others with offices in the ISUB/TLC, Glover was relocated due to the closure.
Glover also said that this experience overall has been one of adaptability and change. Glover and her colleagues are now located in the Vandal Ballroom of the Pitman Center.
In order to find private areas to have conversations with students, Glover said that facilities’ employees and other employees of the Pitman Center have been very helpful with finding these private spots.
Despite this difficulty, Glover is impressed with the way the situation has been handled.
ICYMI: Initial reporting on the ISUB/TLC flood and shutdown
As the ISUB is still entirely closed, so are the restaurants within that portion of the shared ISUB/TLC building. Walker said Vandal Dining is putting up a large tent to provide food services. It will be open at 8 a.m. Thursday morning. Future working hours will be Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
These services will have limited Chick-Fil-A and Qdoba offerings 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., snacks all day and will accept all forms of payment. Seating will be offered inside of Einstein Bros. Bagels.
Walker said Sodexo is working to keep all restaurant employees who were displaced with the closure working in temporary job reassignment. The employees will return to their original positions within the ISUB/TLC once the building is reopened.
“It’s a university-wide effort with lots of people pitching in to make sure everyone is taken care of,” Walker said.
Student employees who worked within the ISUB/TLC’s offices continued to work through the building closure. Walker and Glover both said students within the offices may have been reassigned tasks but continued to work.
“We also have some student employees that usually cover our main front desk, so the biggest issue there is being able to find things for them to do,” Glover said.
Although there is concern for giving these student employees enough hours, Glover said they are working through this issue.
Official university updates are available here
“There is a hidden impact,” said Ann Abbott, instructor for the Departments of Mathematics & Statistical Science.
Her graduate-level class, statistical analysis, was relocated the week of Nov. 4 due to the ISUB/TLC Closure.
Abbott said the biggest inconvenience was that she forgot the room her class was relocated to did not connect to the u-drive. She was unable to access the software needed for the class, but due to her experience teaching the class, Abbott was able to teach the class regardless.
“Had I remembered, Engineering Outreach would’ve helped out,” Abbott said.
Anna Stewart, a student with one class relocation during the week of Nov. 4 on Tuesday and Thursday, said it was unfortunate she had to go to a building she had never been to before.
“It’s inconvenient to not have a real open date, but they’re doing their best,” Stewart said.
Alex Newton, a student with one class relocation during the week of Nov. 4, said the relocation does not really affect him, other than the fact he walks to a different building.
“It’s not really a big deal,” Newton said.
Regarding how the university is handling the situation, Newton was impressed with how hard everyone was working.
“They came out with the relocations like the next working day,” Newton said.
He felt the university was doing everything well.
ICYMI: TLC to partially open for classes, ISUB stays closed
Other campus community members expressed frustration with the lack of information updates from the administration. Professor Ann Hoste, chair of Theatre Arts, said she had her play analysis class relocated due to the ISUB/TLC closure the week of Nov. 4.
“More advanced notice would’ve been helpful,” Hoste said, but she understands the university’s priority is to fix the problem first.
On Monday, Hoste said she saw about double the amount of absences she typically anticipates. She said she thought the absences were due to students being unable to find the new classroom in time.
One complaint Hoste said she has heard from students is that transit times from class to class have increased due to the relocations. Hoste said students and faculty are staying positive and working through the situation together.
“Bricks and mortar don’t — they’re not the classroom. The students create the learning environment, and when they’re comfortable, it’s a great environment,” Hoste said.
Rachele Catt can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @RACHELE_CATT