Over the past several years, everyone has seen the numerous renovation projects across campus that the college has paid for, and the results are impressive.

Many of the apartments have new carpet and furniture; residence halls have renovated lounge areas for students and new sprinkler systems.

The lighting and ceiling of Dunn Library has been completely replaced. Mary Berry Hall now has new office space on the fourth floor. There is a new entrance to Buxton Stadium and even College Hall has had a bit of a facelift.

We are all grateful to see that the college is spending part of our tuition dollars in a smart way – to help improve and upgrade the space we live and learn in, not to mention making the college a safer space.

However, all the construction can also be a bit of a hassle. When some projects continue into the fall, students come back to a campus that is disheveled and buildings that are hard to maneuver. Such is the case with Mary Berry Hall.

Crews are still working to finish the renovations and repairs to the first floor of the building, leaving one entrance and the first floor bathrooms closed. When a building entrance is closed, getting to classes and even passing through the halls becomes a bit difficult.

We know that the Simpson experience is all about getting close to one another. But feeling another person’s breath on the back of your neck while waiting for class to get out is a little too personal.

We know that the crews are working as hard as they can. And we certainly see the progress. We just think it would be beneficial for everyone, including the crews, to finish projects before students return for fall classes.