Orientation takes place next week and that also means the fall semester is about to begin. With many physical changes happening on our campus over the summer, I wanted to share with you in this post several floor plans that can be helpful to illustrate how Divinity Hall and our new, temporary space at 60 Oxford Street have been reconfigured. The directory and all floor plans can be found on the HDS intranet.
The space at 60 Oxford Street will be central to student life. The first floor includes not only the Office of Student Life, Student Services, the Office of Career Services, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Registrar’s Office, but also several classrooms and event space. The largest space, Room 119, will mostly be used for large events (think events that took place in the Sperry and Braun rooms), but may also be used for the occasional large class.
The lower mezzanine level of 60 Oxford Street includes the Office of Ministry Studies, but it will also be where Community Tea will be held each Tuesday during the academic term from 4 to 5:30 pm. The event will take place in the lounge area, in the back right when you come down the center staircase.
Furniture was recently delivered and set in place. It was assembled on site, as you can see below, and arranged by the Office of Operations team, including Jyoti Rana, supervisor of custodial services, and her tireless crew. None of this would have been done without their quick work. Part of our goal was to construct these rooms not only to feel familiar to returning HDS community members, but also to improve upon them. There’s also better climate control features, multiple white boards with improved sight lines for students, and more natural light.
Offices have also shifted a bit at Divinity Hall. The Office of Admissions is located on the first floor, where classrooms and the multipurpose room remain, and the Office of the Chaplain and Religious and Spiritual Life is located on the second floor. The remainder of the building includes classrooms, faculty and staff offices, and, of course, Emerson Chapel.
Site work. Work on the Swartz Hall construction site next week is expected to include ongoing window protection efforts. Interior demolition will also continue, as will daily deliveries and dumpster swaps. Utility work at Rockefeller Hall is expected to conclude, and pedestrians will be detoured until the project is complete. All activities are subject to change based on weather or other circumstances.
—Ralph