Campus receives several facelifts

Duquesne spent over $6 million on several renovations this summer, including upgrades to the Hogan Dining Center, McCloskey Field and the fourth floor of Gumberg Library.

Hogan Dining Center opened this semester with a remodel of the whole facility. The former Short Stop convenience store was relocated to the bottom of Towers and is now called P.O.D. (Provisions on Demand). P.O.D. offers a self-serve candy station, coffee and tea, in addition to the refrigerated meals and dry goods previously available.

The Hogan Dining Center has expanded its dining hall and has given students more space to eat.

“I love the new location, now you don’t have to walk to the back of Towers just to get there,” said junior education and English major Alyssa Betz.

Executive Director of Facilities Management Rod Dobish said he expects the changes to be helpful.

“These facilities are an asset to the University that will serve thousands of students in the years to come,” Dobish said.

McCloskey Field also received a face-lift after construction of Des Places Hall was completed. The field, which is used for intramural sports and other student events, had been closed since the demolition of Des Places Language Center in October 2010.

An April 26, 2011, a Duke article reported that the field would receive new turf and track.

Gumberg Library’s fourth floor was also renovated this summer to help accommodate students and make them more comfortable, according to University Librarian Laverna Saunders. The library was able to put in a help desk with the replacement of the large circulation desk with smaller desks.

University Librarian Diana Sasso said students can sit with a librarian and ask for research assistance.

Although additional seating has not yet been created on the fourth floor, Duquesne plans to expand seating on the fifth floor as a significant quantity of print journals will be replaced and offered digitally. This is planned to create more space for tables and chairs where students will be able to study, Saunders said.

The University will also look to add more electrical outlets to the fourth floor by midterms to make it more convenient for students. It also wants to replace the elevators in Gumberg this spring. Surveys will be e-mailed to students to gather feedback about the new renovations and what can be done to help improve the space, Saunders said.

“We used student comments to our LibQUAL+ survey to drive some of the changes,” Saunders said. “We care what students say and try to incorporate as many ideas as we can.”

Taylor Coniglio, a sophomore corporate communications and entrepreneurship major, said he is impressed with the renovations.

“I think that the new renovations add to Duquesne. It’s nice to see the money we pay for tuition go to updating and improving our campus,” Coniglio said. “It’s nice to have a beautiful campus.”