RPI is undergoing some pretty substantial changes. Among these is a large number of renovations and landscaping initiatives, many of which are hurrying to be completed before the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center officially opens this Friday. Anybody who has taken a walk around the campus recently will be well aware of the makeover the Institute is getting; anybody who hasn’t definitely should—it’s pretty impressive.
These changes are an exciting sign of the things to come, and some are long overdue. Many people have commented on how a number of physical aspects of campus have been in need of a facelift; we’ve certainly touched on the subject here recently, and we’re thrilled to see some of it come to fruition.
With that said, however, we’ve heard complaints about the timing of the construction projects. Some projects have been more than a little disruptive as of late. The work in the Great Hall of the Darrin Communications Center, for example, has been occurring during class hours—and, more importantly, during exams. There are few things more aggravating than trying to do complex engineering problems when there is jack hammering going on in the background. Likewise, the construction behind Russell Sage Dining Hall is not a terribly pleasant thing to wake up to at 6 am on a Saturday.
We understand that these projects are under incredible time pressures. We’re aiming for the campus to be absolutely pristine for Friday’s festivities, as the kickoff promises to be a wonderful opportunity to show off not just EMPAC but everything that’s changed at the Institute. This improvement should not be at the expense of the students’ academic or personal well-being, though. We implore those responsible for these projects to do their best to work around the ongoing campus activities with minimal disruption in spite of their haste.
On another note, we encourage everyone to explore campus and the new facilities when they open this weekend. Regardless of one’s thoughts of the merits of EMPAC, the building is here, and here to stay. There’s no reason not to go out and enjoy the celebration and the special activities; maybe some naysayers will even see the project in a more positive light after they have the opportunity to immerse themselves in it.
