Mitchell Hall is now open – new, improved and odorless.
“We believe we got that (the smell) taken care off,” said Jep Choate, an associate registrar. “I have been in the building now for the past two or three weeks and know the restrooms have been used some — still no smell.”
Choate attributed the smell problem mostly to old sewage problems and bad ventilation.
Technological changes to Mitchell include improved learning equipment in classrooms, such as wireless Internet access and a computer pod. The renovations took one year and $9.5 million.
Mitchell Hall also has a new interior, energy efficient heating, upgraded restrooms, additional seating areas and an Outtake’s Deli.
Choate said most of the classrooms are smaller due to renovations. What the University lost in size they hope to make up for in seating, he said. Before the renovation, 500 classes were taught at Mitchell Hall each semester. Choate said Mitchell Hall now has fewer classrooms but would not specify how many.
“There are fewer classrooms and a few classrooms have decreased in size,” Choate said. “However, there is new furnishing in all classrooms, even some tables at the request of teachers. The furniture makes the rooms more flexible.”
Despite all the changes, some students do not feel the renovations are worth the $9.5 million price tag.
Junior Ryan Wooley said he is excited about the changes made to Mitchell Hall, but does not think they should have been a priority to the UNM administration.
“There are plenty of other things on campus that money could have gone to that would have been more beneficial,” Wooley said. “Mitchell Hall seemed to me to be, overall, a functional building.”
Wooley said he recognizes that the building had lighting problems in the classrooms and the limited amount of technology offered inside, but in this time of budget crisis there is no need to put that much money into the job.
“(The) $9.5 million is a lot of money when our tuition is being raised, work study was cut, our teachers are underpaid and our economy is still down,” he said.
Senior Theresa Rogers said the renovations are worth the cost. Rogers said she has taken five classes in Mitchell and the building seemed old and outdated.
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“The signature aroma of the building is eliminated,” she said. “There were definitely improvements that needed to be made. The $9.5 million price tag revamped a critical component in the educational mission of the University.”
While the newly remodeled hall will provide more classrooms and create work spaces for students, Rogers said she is still worried about overcrowding.
“I’m not sure if the capacity of the classrooms changed at all,” she said. “There was one class I took in Mitchell that was so crowded that I sat on the floor once or twice.”
All classrooms are equipped with a projector, screen, speakers, DVD/VHS player, and wall and ceiling ports to connect to the projector and an instructor’s station. One of the classrooms has been converted into a computer pod with 26 computers and several smaller walk-up stations.
Choate said the University is setting its sights on Ortega Hall next.
“In the future, depending all on funding, we hope to take a look at Ortega Hall,” Choate said. “We hope to upgrade some of the classrooms.”
