University should openly discuss renovations

With Baldwin Auditorium reconstruction nearing completion, Duke’s three-part renovation plan is well underway. However, financial and administrative complications have hindered some plans and left others severely underfunded. These issues are indicative of a broader issue of gaps in communication.   

As today’s Chronicle reports, West Union renovations have been slowed as administrators go back to the drawing board after the Board of Trustees rejected the initial proposal in May. The Board’s rejection of the proposal illustrates a concerning gap in communication within the upper echelons of the University’s decision-makers. Although Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said the plans will be completed in two to three months, the fact that the Trustees will not touch the subject or vote on the matter until they reconvene in October seriously delays progress. This uneccesarily bureaucratic system hinders progress for a very important University project that affects students and faculty. 

That the University declined to comment on the Board’s basis for rejection demonstrates another problematic gap in communication, this time between administrators and students. From the student perspective, such large-scale renovation projects may not seem as pressing to the student experience as installing air conditioning systems for all dorm rooms or improving living spaces on Central Campus.

The Charlotte-based Duke Endowment, which is compeltely independent of the University, gifted the $80 million for the renovations. Although we recognize that the Endowment played a role in deciding how the funds would be spent, we question the University’s planned sequence of renovations—starting with Baldwin Auditorium, then moving to West Union and lastly to Page Auditorium. Given the financial constraints surrounding the projects—the estimated total cost for the renovations were projected at $100 million, of which the University received only $80 million—prioritization should have fallen to projects that stand to have the greatest impact on the most students, namely Page Auditorium.

As the largest venue on campus aside from the Chapel, Page Auditorium is an important venue for the Duke and greater Durham community for a variety of events, from cultural showcases like Awaaz to invited speakers. These events foster community awareness and celebration that greatly enhances the student experience on campus. Yet the venue is riddled with problems—Scott Lindroth, vice provost for the arts, pointed to uncomfortable seating, poor stage visibility and the outdated sound and lighting system as just some issues facing the auditorium. Improvements to the facility could greatly improve the experiences of those students and community members who utilize the space.

Certainly, taking Page Auditorium offline for renovations would hamper student activity—one of the original considerations when first undertaking Baldwin construction. However, this is the lesser of two evils, as the present situation leaves insufficient funds to make the necessary improvements.

Ultimately, renovations to all three venues are important for current students and for attracting prospective students. We urge the University, however, to maintain open communication with the Board and students as it continues forth, and in doing so, to take into consideration the student experience. The first step is open communication.