Uhm...the place was renovated in 2006/2007...and countless changes have been made to the interior. They have also re-done the basement to house multi-purpose rooms imstead of unused space.
They have also added in several food vendors that certainly were not there when I attended.
I guess you didn't read President Gilbert's article in the H-D just a month ago, about the renovations scheduled for this summer...which specifically included the MU Student Center and bookstore. Towers is also getting its entire lobby and 2 floors re-done as well.
As for the dorms? I agree some need to be torn down if too expensive to update. But they did remove Hodges Hall and improved one of the buildings nearby to house the INTO MU foreign exchange program.
I don't know about Jenkins specifically, but given the ew Weisberg building, I doubt the labs are there anymore...which would explain why $2 million would suffice since a lab would require more in order to meet standards than whatever is in there.
Same with the Science Building...considering there are 2 science buildings right across the street...I am sure the Science building has had some upgrades but the newly built science building would house all the stuff that would require a large amount of possibly, unavailable funding.
Coconut Shell game if you will...but we aren't ripping anyone off.
Not sure about Corbly, but Brad Smith did just donate $25 million to MU's College of Business...perhaps some of it could go to a whole new building?
I dunno.
However, as I said, some if these changes CAN wait, because of MU really focusing its energy on research, I'll bet a few plans have needed to be held off on in order to maintain MU's academic progress.
So much of what you're saying has been addressed.
Obviously you have no clue as to the difference between routine maintenance and upgrades in things like carpeting, furniture, maybe lighting and rest room changes and MAJOR renovations, upgrades, improvements and additions.
The main lobby of the student center is basically the same, with some changes in the furniture and carpet the last time I was in there. In 2017 there was some work going on down in the basement where at one time a bowling alley was located; work appeared to be some material removal (insulation, perhaps even asbestos?). Again the needed/suggested improvements indicated in the 2013 plan came to over $20 million, so I doubt anything planned this summer will be a project of that magnitude.
Agree about the dorms; Hodges and Laidley the oldest residence facilities on campus and one is gone and Laidley has been shuttered. Even the prior "master" plan in 2003 suggested that MU replace those older low volume facilities with newer buildings that are more vertical, say 5 or so stories or more, given MU's lack of a lot of usable land. Tearing down Laidley and building, say, a new classroom facility, perhaps L shaped along 3rd Ave. and 18th Street, would mesh with other academic buildings in the area, e.g., Harris Hall, Science Bldg.
Not sure about "labs" in Jenkins. It is basically the home facility for the College of Education. The latest plan identified about $10-12 million in work, including upgrades in HVAC, roofing work, etc., that was needed and I think MU has done $2-3 million worth of work.
No, the building across Third Avenue is NOT a general science building. It is the Biotechnology Facility. Apparently handles much research in that and the medical fields. The "old" science building across Third Ave. is nearing 70 years old and, unlike the Bio Tech bldg., it houses basic sciences like Geology, Physics, Chemistry, etc.
Finally, back during the Joe Manchin administration in Charleston, nearly a decade ago, the state released funds from the lottery proceeds for college and university capital improvements to catch up on defrayed maintenance problems. At that time MU had identified the need for some $70 million in such defrayed maintenance. MU got something like $16-17 million out of that lottery fund disbursement. I don't think anything close to a repeat disbursement of such lotteries monies in that amount for higher education capital needs has occurred since.
So, no, the situations indicated in my earlier post as to MU's capital needs, renovations, improvements, etc., have NOT been addressed. Not even close!!
