As highlighted in an earlier story, President Lowry recently detailed to students and faculty the plans for “Lipscomb: Next,” a large construction project slated to be finished by 2016, Lipscomb’s 125th anniversary.
The plan is set to include new nursing, pharmacy, science buildings and residence halls, as well as expansions and renovations to the Student Activities Center, Swang, and Fanning Hall. The changes will ultimately bring the campus into the 21st century with technology.
Some students are excited by the announcement of progress.
Dustin Hood, a junior finance and marketing major from Smithville, Tenn., said that he is excited for the upcoming construction.
“Allowing the campus to grow and adding new buildings not only expands the view of the campus to incoming students and the community, it helps add prestige and bring in those students who are on the fence about going to a small Christian school,” Hood said. “We have to expand to compete with other schools in the region as well.”
Others aren’t so sure about the changes.
Andres Gonzalez, a sophomore international business major from Ensenada, Mexico, wonders how the administration plans to accommodate students attending the school now.
“They are expanding the facilities for more students and classrooms, but not dorms,” Gonzalez said. “This plan won’t benefit anyone who is here right now.”
It is a well-known fact that living space is limited for next year already. Sarah Mehringer, a freshman pre-pharmacy major from St. Louis, Mo., thinks that while the project will benefit future students, it might do more harm than good to students paying for school now.
“It’s a good idea, but why are they not building new dorms now, when we’re already out of space?” Mehringer said. “It’s frustrating because they want to increase the size of the school substantially, but are not doing anything quickly to allow for that.”
Construction is scheduled to begin this summer with the renovation of Fanning. The project is expected to be completed in 90 days.