Starting this summer, Simpson College will be renovating a large part of campus.

Renovations including making campus entirely wireless and installing sprinklers in 95 percent of Hamilton Apartments are on the campus’s three to five year priority plan of projects.

The top priority that the college faces, however, is the renovation of Buxton and Picken residence halls.

During this renovation, Buxton will receive new carpeting in the hallways. In Picken new subfloors will be installed in the bathrooms. New toilet and sink fixtures will be installed, and tubs will be re-glazed. The hallways in Picken will also be re-carpeted.

Campus Services Director Jeremy Huffman said that these housing units are in high need of renovation.

“As campus services director, our job is to keep the highest level of comfort for students living on campus,” Huffman said. “The living situation for students in Buxton and Picken has not been up to our or the students’ standards, so we need to do something about it.”

Huffman said that one of the main problems was the bathrooms. Students living in Picken have had many problems throughout the school year.

“We have gotten some complaints about how the bathroom floors are starting to come up and the fixtures are becoming old and worn down,” Huffman said. “

Sophomore Picken resident Chad Onstot said he thinks the renovations should help tremendously.

“I know a lot of people that have problems with their bathrooms,” Onstot said. “My roommates and I had one incident when our shower head was broken, so I understand how difficult and time -consuming it can be to wait to get it fixed. If we get new facilities, I think it will better residence living in the long run.”

Buxton will also be seeing changes, but not to the extent as Picken’s.

One concern that will have to be addressed at a later date is the need to replace windows in both Picken and Buxton.

According to Huffman, the campus would like to replace the windows, but there was not enough funding for the project.

“We know students are not happy with the windows in Picken, but we’re hopeful that we can replace those windows next summer,” Huffman said.

Sophomores Curt Tennison and Jake Rissi both live in Buxton and agree that the windows need to be replaced as soon as possible.

“The windows that are in place now are not practical,” Tennison said. “Some windows have no screens and the blinds on the windows don’t keep the sun out.”

Tennison also said that the windows do not seem to be energy efficient for the rooms.

Rissi agreed and said the windows in his room leak cold air during the winter.

Although they believe the problems in Buxton need to be addressed, Rissi and Tennison both agree that the problems in Picken are more immediate.

“When I go visit Picken, the carpeting in the hallway is torn up and the rooms are as small as the freshman dorms,” Tennison said.

Onstot agrees and said that Picken needs some refurbishing, like a better lounge area and a more up-to-date computer lab.

Though there still needs to be more renovations in place, Huffman believes that these projects will help the college.

“Overall, the changes made to Buxton and Picken will help improve residence life,” Huffman said. “Even though we can’t make a complete restoration, every little bit helps.”