Mandi Mooney and Anna Gindlesperger
Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor
September 2, 2005
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| Milligan’s campus was transformed this summer when the tennis courts were torn down in preparation for construction of the new convo center. |
-Photos by Chandrea Shell and Mandi Mooney |
Shortly after returning to campus for the start of the semester just two weeks ago, Milligan’s upperclassmen gradually began noticing several distinct changes around campus. Some changes, such as the destruction of the old tennis courts, were easy to notice. Other changes were not quite so obvious.
“We do a certain amount of improvements every summer based on what resources we
have,” said President Don Jeanes. “We spent over $100,000 (this summer). Well,
actually, if you figure in the McCown (Cottage) addition, we spent over
$200,000.”
Site preparation for the convocation center on the site of the old tennis courts
began this summer in July. Early preparations hit a stumbling block when it
became apparent the trees surrounding the area, especially the large oak tree,
would have to be cut down.
“When you end up with a building that displaces a certain amount of square
footage, you’ve got to put the building where it will fit,” Jeanes said. “We
started out trying to squeeze that in between some trees and it didn’t work. You
just couldn’t get that size building in there without the building backing up
against the trees.”
Despite his reservations, Jeanes and the other members of the convocation center
planning committee realized that the oak tree would eventually die if left in
place.
“I was the last one who held onto the tree, but it was going to die,” said
Jeanes. “So it’s better to take it down now than to build the building and try
to figure out how to get that stump out of there a couple of years from now.”
Site work to bury sewer lines and extend the commons area will begin in coming
weeks once the city of Elizabethton issues a building permit. In order to bury
the lines, Blowers Drive, the main road through campus, will be closed in
sections to all traffic during the day and to thru-traffic in the evenings.
Currently, the building is scheduled to be completed and available for use in
the spring of 2007.
As construction for the convocation center began, the new Mathes Tennis Center
next to the faculty office building was completed. According to women’s tennis
coach Marvin Glover the previous courts had been at that location since the late
1930s or early 1940s.
Though the courts themselves are ready to be used by the Milligan community, the
facility will be totally finished only after a clubhouse is constructed next to
the courts.
“When the project is completed, we will have one of the nicest facilities in
terms of playing, coaching and viewing tennis in our region,” Glover said.
The courts may only be used by staff, students and guests of Milligan College
and Emmanuel School of Religion. Friends of the college may obtain a temporary
pass to permit play. Players may occasionally be asked to show their Milligan ID
cards by security personnel, and those without cards will be asked to leave.
Further construction on campus included renovations to the McCown Cottage
Business Office. Work was supposed to be completed by Aug. 1.
“Inside is pretty well done except for some touch up painting and getting
settled,” said Jeanes. “The outside, obviously they’ve got to carry away the
debris.”
The building, which once served only as the financial aid office, will now house
Milligan’s new student financial services office. Combining the two offices into
one building should help the financial process of the registration go more
smoothly.
“Ideally, we’ll get to a place where the financial part of registration will be
like pre-registering for a class,” said Jeanes. “That’s where we’re moving, but
I don’t know how fast we will get there.”
The new workout equipment housed in the upper level of the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse
adds yet another change to Milligan’s campus that is perhaps less noticeable but
no less noteworthy.
A total of six new machines were purchased for $16,000. The stationary bikes -
two of which are elliptical and the other four regular - require no electricity
and should withstand wear better than the previous equipment.
All ski machines were removed along with bikes which were damaged beyond repair.
“The money raised for this equipment was done through SGA and fundraising done
through the Hyder House to young alums,” said Kim Parker, director of student
life. Campus alumni gave $8,000 to the project.
Vice President for Student Development Mark Fox said this project is the “first
step of improving our exercising facilities.”
Other improvements on campus included a change of décor in the Paxson
Communications Building, continued construction of the new physical plant and
installation of new desks and chairs in Hart, Sutton and Webb Halls.
As much as Milligan’s campus has changed in the last several months, students
can expect even more improvements throughout the next few years.
“One of my goals since I started in 1997 is to improve the physical plant and
also the physical appearance of the grounds,” said Jeanes. “Some of it is just
normal summer work depending on what resources we have. Every summer we screen
the floor in the cafeteria. This year we had to screen the floor in the gym. We
put the new chairs in the SUB. We just try to figure out what’s needed the most,
what looks the worst, what needs attention and what we can afford.”