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Watch your step around campus’ Mitty Hall these days: The residence hall is undergoing renovations to serve as a home away from home for first-year students. Vice President for Facilities Sarah Speron says the structure will see a “ground up” remodel on the inside. 

The funding for these projects comes from the College’s endowment fund. It was approved and voted on by the Board of Trustees, “to improve the student experience,” Speron said. Mitty Hall was originally built in the 1960s and has seen little changes since then. Speron said that the reason they have chosen to focus on Mitty Hall is based on feedback they received from students themselves on where they’d like to see improvements on campus. “We’re really trying to hear what the students are saying and act on that.”  

Mitty is on track to be completed in time to welcome new students in the fall. However, there have been challenges along the way. “As soon as construction started, we ran into delays and additional expenses,” Speron said. “The challenge with old buildings is that you don’t know what you will find.  Mitty was no exception!” In addition, many of the delays are due to the ongoing supply chain shortages of building materials from the pandemic. While the original plan was for Justin Hall renovations to also be completed by fall, work on Justin has been pushed back. Instead, Facilities pivoted to add kitchens and lounges in Becket and Moore Halls for fall opening.

What can new students look forward to in Mitty? For starters, expect built-in desks with accompanying cabinets, as well as a sink, in each room. The bathrooms will feature a complete refresh with new showers and tile flooring. Plus, there will be water-filling stations and a much needed lounge. 

“The most exciting part might be that each room will have air-conditioning with individual room controls,” Speron said, as there will no longer be a central system for heating and air for the entire hall.”