Getting The Word Out

• Ceremony honors Dreyfus - Stevens Point Journal
• Tour of University Center excites UWSP community - Stevens Point Journal
• Lee Dreyfus University Center starts to take shape - Stevens Point Journal
• UWSP becomes largest purchaser of renewable energy within UW System - UWSP University Relations & Communications
• UWSP students, staff members cry foul over art selection committee - Stevens Point Journal
• UC renovation impresses - The Pointer
• Construction on UWSP's expansion on schedule - Stevens Point Journal
• UWSP students adapt to life without UC - Stevens Point Journal
• University Center Closed - UWSP Alumni Newsletter Fall 2006
• Dreyfus University Center remodeling begins - UWSP Alumnus Fall 2006
• Construction progress updates available online for UWSP's University Center - By Carlos Gieseken
• University Center - By Gene Kemmeter
• UWSP to Upgrade University Center; Point Plan Commission approves Project - By Kelly McBride
• By George Rogers - The Portage County Gazette
• By Gene Kemmeter - The Portage County Gazette
• Dreyfus University Center to undergo remodeling project - Pointer Alumnus Newsletters, Spring 2006
• UC project set for 2006 - Pointer Alumnus Newsletter, Spring 2005

October 13, 2007
Ceremony honors Dreyfus
University Center named for former chancellor
Stevens Point Journal
By Shenandoah Sowash
Journal staff

The sidewalk between Old Main and the new Dreyfus University Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point was lined with smiling students Friday, most wearing T-shirts with red vests on the front.

Such a sight may have seemed strange to outsiders, but to members of the UWSP community, a red vest is symbolic of only one thing: Lee Sherman Dreyfus, UWSP's first chancellor.

UWSP officially named the University Center after Dreyfus during a ceremony Friday in the renovated building's Laird Room. Dreyfus and his wife could not attend the ceremony for health reasons, but members of his family attended in his place.

Members of the UWSP ROTC presented the colors while Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a men's music fraternity, sang the National Anthem.

"Years before me, students, not staff, decided the UC would be named after Dreyfus to recognize the numerous improvements he made on this campus," said Shawn Connelly, student and chair of the Dreyfus University Center Policy Board.

Students have played a vital role in the planning of the renovated UC, a fact of which Dreyfus would be proud, Chancellor Linda Bunnell said.

"Lee understood that in any era, the most important part of any campus was its students," Bunnell said. "The students' voices must be heard."

During Dreyfus' time as chancellor, he created the College of Professional Studies, College of Natural Resources, Division of Communication and the paper science program, as well as establishing a study abroad program and the Affirmative Action Office.

"Excellence is what my dad has always been about. . . . He was not only an 'outside the box thinker,' he was an 'outside the brain' thinker to most of us who have normal brains," laughed Susan Fosdick, Dreyfus' daughter.

Citing her father's profound love of teaching and students, Fosdick said naming the building in his honor was wonderful.

"This just couldn't be a more fitting gift to give him," she said. "His whole life has been about teaching and students."

Judge Lee Sherman Dreyfus, the former chancellor's son, echoed Fosdick's gratitude.

"Of all the things this university could have done, this naming is the most precious," he said.

The judge referenced his father's bold decision to create an international program for students, stating his father understood that those students would come back forever changed.

"For a time, UWSP was the only university in the nation sending people behind the Iron Curtain," Judge Dreyfus said.

While Dreyfus was not there in person, Bunnell emphasized that he was certainly present in spirit.

"As long as we continue to embrace our community and they continue to embrace us, Lee is here," she said.

Dreyfus himself offered a quick greeting to the audience through a previously recorded video.

"Even though I don't have a degree from this university, as far as I'm concerned, I'm an alum," he said.

October 3, 2007
Tour of University Center excites UWSP community
Stevens Point Journal
By Shenandoah Sowash
Journal staff

University centers provide vital resources to campuses throughout the country, often serving as the living room of a university.

While students, staff members and faculty have missed the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Dreyfus University Center, Monday's sneak preview building tour has the UWSP community bubbling with excitement.

"I pretty much plan on moving in," joked Adam Lehmann, vice president of the Student Government Association.

He, along with Chancellor Linda Bunnell, Mayor Andrew Halverson and other SGA staff, students and alumni responded enthusiastically to the renovated space.

"We tried to really listen to what students wanted throughout the planning process," said Susan Crotteau, assistant director of the DUC.

Upon entering the building, a noticeable feature is the amount of natural light, a quality that Crotteau hopes will lessen electricity use.

"We heard from students that the old building was dark. There was no sense of other people being there. We wanted to foster a sense of activity in the building," Crotteau said.

Students also requested more casual gathering spaces.

"We have fewer meeting rooms and more impromptu spaces for students to socialize, read, eat, rest and do whatever it is they want to," Crotteau said.

"I want to come back here for school," joked Helen Godfrey, alum and founder of the Helen R. Godfrey University Child Learning and Care Center.

The Encore, an informal performance space, resembles a grunge rock club, complete with exposed walls and a balcony.

"This is our best take at an urban club," Halverson said.

While the space is distinctly modern, it remains accessible and warm with fireplaces in some common areas.

"The students said that in winter, it's nice to have a fireplace to sit beside," Crotteau said.

The University Center is expressive of the student culture at UWSP as students have been involved in the planning process from the beginning.

"I joined the board a year ago. We've looked at furniture choices and all kinds of things. Right now we're working on portion sizes for the food vendors," said Shawn Connelly, chair of the University Centers Advisory and Policy Board.

Bunnell believes students' investment in the building will improve campus culture for years to come.

"Students today are paying for students tomorrow. They'll be proud to come back here and see what they've created," she said.

June 6, 2007
Lee Dreyfus University Center starts to take shape
Stevens Point Journal
By Carlos Gieseken
Journal staff

While still seven months away from its scheduled grand opening in January, the Lee Dreyfus University Center no longer looks like the site of a bomb explosion, as it did when the $23 million renovation project's demolition phase left the building without a western facade.

As the exterior of the signature University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point building takes shape, anticipation is mounting.

"There seems to be increasing excitement, not just from the campus community but the Stevens Point community in general," said Susan Crotteau, assistant director of university centers. "I get e-mails on a pretty regular basis from people watching the progress online."

Floor and wall tiles have been laid, and the kitchen equipment is being installed in the dining areas of the building in anticipation for July 31 completion of the food court portion of the project. Students and visitors will have brick oven pizza, Asian food, a grill, subs and sandwiches, Tex-Mex and vegetarian options.

The concourse addition of the building on Reserve Street will feature a cafe offering locally grown foods. Former Student Government Association President Ross Cohen thinks one of the food court options should be food that comes from local farmers.

"We will be doing our local economy justice by supplying and buying locally grown food," he said, adding he has already contacted local farmers in central Wisconsin who are willing to sell their food to the university.

Crotteau said locally grown food could eventually have a place in the dining court, but it will take time.

It's projected that Text Rental returns will be available in the new bookstore space within the building. Organizations looking to book meetings should visit www.uwsp.edu/centers for more information.

Posted March 3, 2007
UWSP becomes largest purchaser of renewable energy within UW System
UWSP University Relations & Communications

Representatives from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) and Wisconsin Public Service signed a NatureWise� purchase agreement today in which UWSP will purchase an additional $8,000 per year of renewable energy for the main campus.

This renewable energy purchase through UWSP administration will be in addition to previous purchases made by the UWSP Student Government Association, Resident Hall Association and the Residential Living Office. This will increase overall main campus usage to 16.4 percent renewable electrical energy, making UWSP the largest purchaser of renewable energy out of all the UW campuses.

Last September, UWSP was one of four state universities chosen by Governor Jim Doyle for an energy independence project that aims for energy independence through renewable energy sources and aggressive conservation efforts. In addition, UWSP Chancellor Linda Bunnell recently signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to commit UWSP to the pursuit of climate neutrality to avert the impacts of global warming.

"I’m pleased that UWSP is able to take further steps to become energy independent," said Bunnell. "I’m also proud that our students have led this effort. They are truly examples of what it means to be a global citizen in a sustainable world."

"It's exciting to see UW-Stevens Point's growing commitment to sustainability," said Rick Socha, Wisconsin Public Service regional manager. "We are delighted to provide additional renewable energy for the campus through our NatureWise program.Several campus organizations are pitching in to fund the NatureWise purchase, and it's clear that the university has made sustainability a strong priority. Public Service has worked with the university on several renewable energy projects over the years, and we're looking forward to expanding our partnership in this important area."

In addition to the renewable energy purchases, UWSP conservation efforts include use of photovoltaic windows and low energy lighting in the Noel Fine Arts Center, energy conservation elements in the Dreyfus University Center remodeling project, several rain gardens across campus, green roofs on the Albertson Learning Resource Center and solar water heating systems for three residence halls and the pool inside the Health Enhancement Center.

The NatureWise program has been in existence since 2002. It supports the generation of electricity from a blend of wind and biomass (gases produced naturally from landfills and farm animal waste) and allows customers to purchase 100-kilowatt-hour blocks of renewable energy each month for an additional one-dollar per block. More information may be found at www.wisconsinpublicservice.com/news/naturewise.aspx.

Posted March 3, 2007
UWSP students, staff members cry foul over art selection committee
Stevens Point Journal
By Carlos Gieseken
Journal staff

Throughout the life of the $23.7 million Dreyfus University Center expansion and renovation project, students have worked with architects and planners on the overall design, landscaping, interior accents, bookstore layout and food choices that will be offered when it reopens in January 2008.

But according to the statutes that govern the Percent for Art program for state buildings, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point students will not sit on the selection committee that spends $47,400 to commission art for the structure, despite their student fees paying for the project.

The Percent for Art program, which uses two-tenths of one percent of the construction cost for art for select state buildings, is run by the Wisconsin Arts Board. State statutes dictate the selection committee be made up of a nonstudent campus representative, the building architect, project manager and others appointed by the arts board.

"The people who make up the university should be the people who pick the art that's going to be at their university, not folks down in Madison," said UWSP Student Government Association President Ross Cohen. "That's ridiculous."

Students and members of the University Centers department staff have met with state Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, and state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, about legislation that could change that.

Cohen said he ultimately wants the decision to be made by a university arts committee made up of students, art faculty, art professors and faculty senate representatives for projects paid for by student fees.

"Whoever those people are that represent the (university) for the specific building, we welcome to have them work with the students to bring input to the selection committee," said Christine Manke, coordinator of the Percent for Art program with the Wisconsin Arts Board. "It really comes down to the issue, can the students legally speak for the campus. It's a legal and liability issue."

The arts board contacted UWSP about beginning the selection process in October, but University Centers' staff members asked for a delay in order to work on a way to get students directly involved in the process.

Susan Crotteau, assistant director of University Centers and the representative for UWSP on the committee, asked if she could give up her seat to a student, but was denied by the arts board.

"Ultimately, I think what the students are looking for is equal representation in the committee if we can't manage the process locally," Crotteau said. "It doesn't seem appropriate to have a process to determine how to spend student fees without any student representation."

Molepske said he has begun to draft a bill that would place selection in the hands of students and other campus representatives.

"This new center is going to be around for a long time," he said. "I would think the people from Stevens Point and the students from Stevens Point would have a great interest in what will be on the walls for many years to come."

Gieseken can be reached at 345-2253 or cgieseken@cwnews.net

2/15/2007 12:00:00 AM
UC renovation impresses
The Pointer
By Nick Gerritsen

When the newly remodeled Dreyfus University Center opens next year, students will hardly recognize it. Although some of the building’s features may be pretty much the same, it is certain to impress all those who enter.

The first new part of the building that students will notice is the front concourse. Entrance to the front of the building will be on the north side, off of the parking lot, rather than the previous entrance facing Reserve Street.

The concourse consists of two levels, a ground floor and an above level, making it an open area in which students can interact with each other from both levels. At the front end of the building students will encounter wood and granite structures.

Also undergoing a major facelift is the food service department. The kitchen will be tucked away conveniently on the north end, and wrapped around it will be the dining area. Unlike the old UC, which featured separate places of dining such as The Wooden Spoon and Taco Bell, the new building will consist of six separate food venues all convening into one checkout. Although the venues are not finalized, there is a possibility of a food court consisting of various types of food such as Mexican, Asian and a deli. Students will be able to pick and choose what they want from each venue and pay at one general checkout area.

The dining area will feature different zones including a cafeteria type large table section, a quiet study type area and a more lively interaction area. This will allow students more options when dining as opposed to one large general dining room. There will also be booths located throughout the area.

Undergoing expansions in the construction are the Laird Room and The Encore. The Laird Room will now be able to hold approximately 800 students compared to its previous capacity of 500. It will also feature dividers which will allow for smaller groups to hold events in the room at the same time. The Encore has also been expanded and will be able to seat about 280 students.

New to the UC will be a movie theater. In the past, movies were played in The Encore. But with the new tiered seating, 180 capacity movie theater students will be able to enjoy watching movies in more comfort.

Numerous windows were also added to the south and west sides of the building, near the dining areas. The increase in windows will allow for more natural light into the building, thus making the UC slightly more energy efficient.

For those concerned, the Brewhaus will be back and unchanged, with the exception of a new paint job and new carpet.

Eighty to 100 contractors work each day on the remodeling project in an effort to keep the project running on schedule. Substantial completion of the project should be completed by October 2007. It will then take a number of months to get everything moved back into the building. A grand re-opening celebration is scheduled to take place during the first week of the spring 2008 semester.

Posted February 9, 2007
Construction on UWSP's expansion on schedule
Stevens Point Journal
By Carlos Gieseken
Journal staff

The $24 million renovation and expansion of the Dreyfus University at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is taking shape, heading toward completion by October with a grand re-opening in January 2008.

The building no longer looks like the aftermath of a bomb explosion, as construction has progressed significantly since the demolition phase, which left little more than structure-bearing walls and columns in parts of the building.

"Dealing with an old building, we've had our ups and downs," said Dean Henrickson, project superintendent with Miron Construction. "But it's going great. We can't complain."

The roof over the Laird Room was raised and reset, allowing an expansion that will increase seating capacity from 500 to 800.

The Reserve Street addition, which includes an atrium-like concourse and a new 180-seat movie theater, already is giving a glimpse into the interactive space planners had hoped for.

Students walking through the concourse after entering from the north will be able to meet up with students using the foot bridges that lead from the main part of the building to the addition, which will contain office and retail space facing Reserve Street.

"We wanted to give visitors a better sense of engagement with people in other parts of the building," said Susan Crotteau, assistant director of university centers at UWSP.

Throughout the day Thursday, workers installed a staircase to be suspended from the ceiling that will lead to dining areas.

Like many other aspects of the building, the stairwell will rely heavily on natural light. The free-floating steel staircase will allow light from a large window and skylights to better circulate through the space.

Posted September 30, 2006
UWSP students adapt to life without UC
Stevens Point Journal
By Carlos Gieseken
Journal staff

The $24 million Dreyfus University Center expansion project is under way as contractors continue the crucial demolition portion to make way for the new 175-seat theater to be built along with alternative energy components.

But how are the students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point doing without their student center, once full of couches that were perfect for a cat nap, rooms that served as meeting places and a variety of food available for lunch or just a quick snack?

"I remember the first day of class, I felt like there was no where to go," said senior Julie Held.

She admits spending more time studying in the library and doing work in computer labs than she would normally, but misses the opportunity for some down time between classes at the Brew House, located in the lower level of the former UC. "You don't want to sit in the library all day," she said.

Many are turning to other locations on campus, like the cafe inside the College of Professional Studies, benches found in different academic buildings or nooks within the library to study or have meetings. Held said she and the other members of Habitat for Humanity meet in the basement of one of the dorms.

"This will be a fine place to have outside meetings with my students," said psychology professor Robert Nemeth about the Food For Thought Cafe, located on the first floor of the campus library. The cafe was installed last year in preparation for the closing of the UC.

He would often meet students inside the Brew House because of its casual atmosphere.

Elementary education major Jennifer Wetor took summer classes on campus and has had some time to get used to not having the UC. She and her friends miss the building because it was a convenient meeting place.

"You have to come up with other weird places to meet," she said. "If you don't find each other, you think they stood you up or something, but they were just on the other side of the building...It was easy to say "I'll meet you in front of the UC" because everyone knew it meant out in front."

Wetor also said having the offices and organizations that were once inside the building be spread around campus is inconvenient.

"You never know what building to go to," she said. "You always have to look it up somewhere to find out."

Sophomore Chelsey Driessen has found the accommodations that the administration has made for the closing to be convenient.

"In some ways, it's nice because some of the concerts and things are held in places closer to the dorms, so I don't have to walk as far," she said.

A large tent was set up near the DeBot Center to accommodate programs like the Involvement Fair, a job fair and Centertainment events until mid-October, according to Susan Crotteau, assistant director of the University Centers.

"We have heard a lot about the convenience of the tent near all the residence halls," she said. "We will look into using this tent in the fall semester in the future."

She said extra vending machines were installed in buildings around campus and the library and the CPS cafe have extended their hours in order to accommodate the loss of the UC. Also, offices have worked at making their forms available to students online to save them trips around campus.

Senior Brent Boodry said he thought it was a good idea to upgrade the university center, but misses being able to play pool, hang out and listen to music in the Brew House.

"It's my last year," he said. "We did pay for it, but seniors will not be able to enjoy it when it's done."

University Center Closed
UWSP Alumni Fall 2006 Newsletter

Click HERE for a PDF version of this file.

Dreyfus University Center remodeling begins
UWSP Alumnus Fall 2006

Construction began on a $26 million Dreyfus University Center remodeling project May 30, and will continue through fall 2007. An official closing ceremony was held May 3, attended by Chancellor Linda Bunnell, students and center staff. By July, the center’s facelift began in earnest, as the fa�ade was removed to make room for an expanded entrance and two-story corridor. Students approved the project’s funding thrugh stuedent fees.

Construction progress updates available online for UWSP's University Center
By Carlos Gieseken
Journal staff
Copyright August 15, 2006 Stevens Point

While University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point alumni living in central Wisconsin have the opportunity to drive by the University Center to check on its $23.7 million renovation, those living around the country or throughout the world don't have the same luxury.

That curiosity can be instantly gratified, however, by navigating to the Web site for the project, found at http://www.uwsp.edu/centers/construction.

There, computer renderings of the future building, a live Webcast of the construction site and a wealth of other information on the project can be found. "It's interesting that people are taking interest from outside of Stevens Point," said Susan Crotteau, assistant director of university centers at UWSP. Her weekly blog, which gives updates on construction and highlights upcoming milestones in the project, has received feedback from alumni in Alaska, Australia and England, among other locations.

Thus far, the major work done has been the demolition of walls in the parts of the building getting renovated, leaving only the structure-bearing walls and columns standing. Asbestos has been removed and mechanical work conducted. The air-conditioning unit that served the UC, communications building, student services building and Old Main was taken off-line. The chiller inside the College of Natural Resources building now picks up that slack. During the next several weeks, the roof over the Laird Room will be raised for its expansion.

In early fall, the footings for the new theater to be constructed will be poured. Construction is scheduled to be completed by fall 2007. Meanwhile, the dozens of student organizations and services once housed in the UC have settled into their temporary homes inside Nelson Hall, 200 Division St., and other campus buildings. "My sense is that this building is gaining an energy," Crotteau said of Nelson Hall, which now houses the Student Government Association, Student Involvement and Employment and the Conference and Reservations Office, among others. "The staff that have worked here all summer are anxious for the students to come back," she said.

Patty Branton, summer coordinator for the Association for Community Tasks, which links students with volunteer opportunities on and off campus, said the organization has settled in but has met challenges, such as the lack of air conditioning and the limitation to only one computer. "With us so far down here on campus, we're wondering if we'll receive the same traffic," she said. "Will the students be as active, especially the incoming freshman?" The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partnership, which has been permanently housed in Nelson, welcomes the increased activity in the building. "People know that we exist but not where we exist," said volunteer Amy Wiza. "It's good for us because it gives our organization more exposure." Angel Mabry, a senior communications major who works as marketing and promotion coordinator for Student Involvement and Employment, is interviewing alumni and past occupants of Nelson Hall to put together a history of it. "It's got a lot of character," she said. "This building has been used for so many things."

The 89-year-old building was placed on both the state and national register of historic places in 2005. During its history, it has housed the Green Bay Packers, soldiers from both world wars, and music students while the Noel Fine Arts Center renovation was completed. Couples have fallen in love on the front porch, and a professor once kept fish in a bathtub on the second floor. There also are rumors that the building is haunted, as past and present inhabitants have said they've experienced lights flickering on and off, bookshelves flying off the walls and floating heads seen in windows. "I've gotten quite a few interesting stories," Mabry said.

Gieseken can be reached at 345-2253 or cgieseken@cwnews.net

University Center
By GENE KEMMETER
of The Portage County Gazette
Copyright Portage County Gazette August 5, 2005

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) is planning a $23.7 million expansion and remodeling of the Lee Sherman Dreyfus University Center. The project will provide an additional 34,000 square feet to the building, which was originally constructed as the Student Union in 1958 and has undergone several extensive remodeling projects and additions since then.

The center was officially designated as the Lee Sherman Dreyfus University Center last spring but a formal dedication was postponed after Dreyfus became ill. The latest remodeling calls for the building to be expanded to the west, 14 feet from the sidewalk on the first floor and four feet from the sidewalk on the second floor because of the overhang. The building will add a 150-person, multi-purpose theater and recital/lecture hall with a sloped floor and expand the Laird Room from 575-seat capacity to 800, the concourse and kitchen, food serving and dining areas. Stevens Point requires a 25-foot setback from the right-of-way, and the city has authority for the site plan review of building expansions on the UW-SP campus.

The Plan Commission recommended approval of the site plan, but not without members expressing their concern that the university was eliminating parking spaces at a time when parking space is at a premium in the university area. Tom Twohig of SDS Architects in Eau Claire, said the project aims to revitalize the University Center. He said the project will move the most northern of the two west entrances to the northwest corner of the building as it expands to the north and west. He said the cantilevered second floor of the building will extend over the walkway, providing a protective sidewalk. He said the expansion to the north will also reduce parking in the metered lot there from 50 to about 25 and eliminate the parking lot exit onto Reserve Street. Paul Neuhaus, project designer for Perkins & Will, Minneapolis, Minn., architects, said the expansion will allow for programs on either side of the concourse on the west side of the building instead of just one side. Twohig said in addition to the expansion, the project will include fire protection sprinkler systems and upgrading the heating and ventilation system and wiring. The state hopes to put out bids in February 2006 and begin building in May 2006, with completion in September 2007.

Commission members Jeff Zabel, Fred Steffen and alderman Jerry Moore expressed their concerns about the parking. Zabel said he has difficulty finding parking spaces when he attends meetings at the center, and Steffen said he wouldn't support the project because of the removal of parking. Moore said he had a hard time accepting the university removing any parking spaces because of the parking shortage in the area.

Two other commission members, Lois Feldman and Karen Aldinger said they also visit campus frequently and felt the lot always had open spaces when they were there. Carl Rasmussen, UW-SP facilities planner, said the university owns property on Portage Court, west of the University Center, that could be utilized to add another 55 spaces. He also said he questions the distance from the right-of-way to the building, suspecting that the building will be at least six feet farther than expected. Most sidewalks are four feet wide, he said, but the sidewalks in that area are 10 feet. Twohig said the designers are looking at the parking issue. "One of the reasons for taking the parking spaces was shipping said it needed two trucks (semis) to come in," he said. "A lot of the foot traffic is coming in from the northwest and we need to provide a safe way for people to come in."

Mayor Gary Wescott said over the years everyone keeps hearing the university say it needs parking and then it goes and takes more parking spaces away. He said he realizes the university needs to remain competitive, requiring projects like this, but university officials need to retain and add as much parking as possible. Moore also expressed reservations about the perceptions for the university to be undertaking the project at a time when the university has been talking about layoff and closing the university radio station because of budget problems. Rasmussen said the University Center project was started in 1995-96 before the Noel Fine Arts Center project was begun and the university received permission to undertake the construction in phases.

While the cost is projected at $23.7 million, he said, the bulk of the funding comes from segregated funds generated by student fees. About $500,000 of the project cost will come from taxpayer funds, he said, and that is for mechanical equipment that will be utilized in other campus buildings. The original Student Union building opened in the spring of 1959 in the center of the then-campus, which consisted of a much-larger Old Main building, the Campus Laboratory School (the Communication Arts Center), Steiner Hall (now South Hall), Delzell Hall, the former library (Student Services Center) and Nelson Hall. As enrollment grew from 1,500 in the late 1950s to nearly 9,000 by 1970, the Student Union was expanded as the campus grew to the north.

The first major change to the building, which became known as the University Center, was in 1966, a 35,000-square-foot addition that doubled the original space. That expanded dining areas, moved the snack bar (the Gridiron) up to the main level, created more meeting rooms and provided room for a consolidated textbook rental and university store. In 1972 work began on another addition on the west end, this time doubling the size of the building to its present 140,000 square feet. That project created the campus information center, the Laird Room for banquets, the LaFollette Lounge, the concourse and a larger store and textbook rental center. While the size of the building has remained the same, several remodeling projects altered the interior. In 1978 space in the lower level was renovated into the Campus Activities/Student Involvement complex. In 1981 the kitchen and dining area were renovated. The first phase of the current project was begun in 1998 with the renovation of several areas. The Plan Commission also recommended approval of a $3.9 million air pollution control addition to the George Stien Heating Plant, 1925 Maria Drive. That project has the same timetable as the University Center project and the addition is in response to Environmental Protection Agency demands.

UWSP to Upgrade University Center
Point Plan Commission approves Project
By Kelly McBride
Journal Staff
Copyright August 2, 2005 Stevens Point Journal

With its Fine Arts Center renovation essentially complete, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is shifting its focus to a new multimillion dollar project that may close a major campus hub for more than a year. The city of Stevens Point Plan Commission on Monday approved plans for a $23.7 million renovation to UWSP's University Center. The price tag is higher than initial estimates of about $17 million for the project, which will involve about 15 months of construction beginning in May 2006. Initially, project architects and UWSP staff had planned to keep the center open during renovation, closing parts of the building on a rotating basis so work could be completed. But as planning progressed and UWSP experienced logistical hurdles with its Fine Arts Center project, the option of closing the center entirely began to emerge as the more cost-and time-effective choice. "We are strongly considering closing the facility during construction for the duration of construction," UWSP facilities planner Carl Rasmussen said Monday. "As we started to move the blocks and diagrams around, it became apparent what these impacts meant as far as moving folks multiple times. The memory was very close at hand with Fine Arts." With the initial phasing plan, construction would have taken between 18 and 21 months versus 15 months if the building closes entirely. The total closure also would save money for the project, which will add about 34,000 square feet to the existing University Center, Rasmussen said. The project's funding comes from a combination of student segregated fees, UC program revenue and minimal state contributions, Rasmussen said. Architects and UWSP planners have five major goals for the project, which will involve improved kitchen and dining areas, a 225-seat expansion of the building's Laird Room, a multi-purpose theater, recital and lecture hall and incorporation of sustainable design concepts. But the project's crown jewel will be the extended and expanded entrance area that will provide a showcase for more student organizations, along with small retail and service functions, Rasmussen said. "I think (the main thing is) by far the entrance and how this building presents itself," he said, "and our goal to have it invite people and students to come in - that there's something going on in this facility - (and) to also have more views to the west." Two main issues - parking and building setback - concerned plan commission members Monday evening. The construction plan would involve the elimination of about 25 parking spots from the lot across from the University Center, parking that some plan commission members said is sorely needed on campus. In addition, the building's setback - which would be less than the 25 feet required for residential properties in the city - also was a concern. The setback would be from four to eight feet for the building's overhanging second floor, and between eight to 18 feet for the first floor. City ordinance dictates that setbacks for UWSP buildings are negotiable, said city planner John Gardner. Still, the shorter setback for the planned UC improvements is smaller than precedent would dictate. Even with the concerns, however, the commission voted to send the project forward. The full common council will vote on the issue at its August meeting. In a time when competition between universities is intense, the renovations will be a valuable asset, Mayor Gary Wescott said. "I'm not going to hold this project hostage because there's the potential to lose 25 (parking) spots," he said. Project architects and Rasmussen also discussed the possibility of making up for the lost spaces elsewhere on campus. The commission's concerns came as no surprise to Tom Twohig of SDS Architects Inc., the Eau Claire-based architecture company that forms half of the building team for the project. SDS is working with national firm Perkins + Will on the renovations. Some details remain to be worked out, Twohig said, but the May 2006 goal for starting construction remains. Keeping the UC closed during renovations makes sense, he added. "It just would make (for) a lot easier construction sequencing," he said. "It never works out well for the occupants trying to maintain their home there." McBride can be reached at 345-2257 or kelly.mcbridecwnews.net.

By GEORGE ROGERS
of The Portage County Gazette

In a sequoia grove it wouldn't stand out, but it's a giant of its species and it's growing in the heart of Stevens Point. Right on the university campus, home of a forestry school. It's a Hill's oak, believed to be the state's largest and maybe the world's second largest. It's on Fremont Street, at the southeast corner of the University Center. It's probably been there longer than the university has. "Champion" trees are rated on a point system which takes in height, circumference and the spread of the branches. The Fremont Street oak is 92 feet tall. It has a circumference of 167 inches (almost 14 feet) and a crown spread of 80 feet, giving it 279 points, according to Robert Freckmann, a retired biology professor at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP). The diameter is more than four feet. The age of the tree is unknown. It could be determined by boring a core sample and counting the rings, but Freckmann doesn't want to do this because it could expose the tree to oak wilt, a fatal disease. However, Freckmann said, "I would guess that it was here in 1894 (the year the university was founded)." Maybe it sprouted in the 1850s, he theorized. If it was living in 1894, Theron Pray, the first president of UW-SP (then known as the Stevens Point Normal School) may have strolled past it. It's still going strong now, during the chancellorship of Thomas George, and barring disease, lightning or some other calamity, could be around for decades to come. Maybe it'll last long enough to displace the current world's record Hill's oak, which stands in Bay Village, Ohio. That tree has a height of 128 feet, a circumference of 184 inches and a spread of 92 feet, for a 335-point total. Chances are you've never heard of Hill's oaks. The species is also known as the northern pin oak and jack oak. It is also sometimes called, in a derogatory way, the "scrub oak." But there's nothing scrubby about that campus tree. Freckmann said it's impressive for its kind, though admittedly Hill's oaks are not among the giants of the oak family. The northern red oak, for one, gets considerably bigger. The champion of that species, growing in Massachusetts, has a circumference of 294 inches, 60 percent greater than the national champion Hill's oak. On its Web site, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says Hill's oaks seldom exceed a height of 50 feet or a diameter of two feet. The DNR says they usually grow on sandy soils of low fertility. The wood may not be in the class of red oak but it's hard, heavy and strong and is used for flooring, furniture, fuel, posts, railroad ties and hardwood pulp. The DNR's listing of champion Wisconsin trees doesn't mention Stevens Point's Hill's oak. It says the state's biggest tree of the species is one in Sauk County that has a circumference of 165.5 inches, a height of 73 feet and a spread of 61 feet, for a total of 253.75 points. Any time the university oak is nominated, though, it should be the new champ. The Hill's oak is named for the Rev. Ellsworth J. Hill, a Chicago area minister who was the first to describe the species and give it a scientific name. Freckmann called Hill "an excellent 19th century field biologist." Hill's oaks aren't found everywhere. Freckmann said their range is centered on Wisconsin, branching out into other Midwest states. One of the distinguishing features of the Hill's oak is its football-shaped acorn, relished by deer, grouse, turkeys, squirrels and many other animals. The species is similar to the black oak. Freckmann said it often hybridizes with the black oak in southern Wisconsin and with the scarlet oak in Illinois and Indiana. "Some botanists in those states," he said, "claim that Hill's oak is merely a northern variation of scarlet oak and not a distinct species. Defending the distinctness of Hill's oak is almost a matter of state pride among some Wisconsin botanists."

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Portage County Gazette

The Dreyfus University Center (DUC) on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) campus will undergo a $23.7 million renovation project beginning in May. In preparation for the project, services and programs housed in the building will relocate to other facilities. The relocations, which will continue through May, began Jan. 10 when the conference and reservation office moved to 123 Delzell Hall. "We can't just move the entire building (occupants) in a week," said Laura Ketchum-Ciftci, who is the director of the center. "We're moving in increments." In March, a major space in the DUC will be vacated. On March 13, textbook rental will move, followed by the book store on March 20 during spring break, the University Box Office, the Point Card office and the University Centers Cashier. Those programs will move to North Point Shopping Center at 200 Division St. The week after spring break, the Food Services Offices will move to DeBot Center. In April, moves are planned to Nelson Hall by Student Organizations to the second floor and Student Involvement and Employment to the first floor. The final move will be the week after final examinations, on May 22, when everything else in the building will move out. Going to the third floor of Nelson Hall will be Campus Activities and Recreation, Centertainment Productions, Campus Ushers, Multicultural Resource Center, Program Services, University Centers Administration and University Centers Reservation. The Campus Information Center will move to the Main Desk in the Learning Resources Center, the Residence Hall Association will go to 601 Division St., and the Student Government Association will move to 119 Delzell Hall, the former chancellor's apartment in that building. "We'll be functional through May, although the pictures may be off the wall," Ketchum-Ciftci said. Construction will start in May and will continue through the summer and the entire 2006-2007 school year and will wind up in the summer of 2007 so the building can reopen in the fall of 2007. "We were going to phase the construction, but after what happened at the Fine Arts Center, it didn't make a lot of sense," she said, referring to the problems that delayed the project as the university kept portions of the building open for classes as work progressed. The work on the DUC would be impacted by keeping a portion of the building because of the scope of the work, she said. "The front concourse will be expanded and the entire front entrance will be down the entire time of the project. Because there is no main entry, it didn't make a lot of sense to keep it open," she said. "We could save about $1.5 million in management and construction costs by doing it all at once," she said about moving all the programs from the building. Phasing the construction would also have prolonged the project, making it last two academic years. Programs offered through the DUC will continue, including the Encore, which has featured entertainment presented by Centertainment. Ketchum-Ciftci said the Encore will move into the television studio in the Communication Arts Center to provide entertainment on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. A caf� to serve coffee, bagels and soups to take the place of some of the food items currently available in the DUC will be developed in the Learning Resources Center in August, she said. Some programs won't be available while the DUC is closed.

"The Basement Brewhaus would be hard to duplicate, so it will be closed," she said. "We won't have weddings during that time while we're down either. We encourage groups to look elsewhere in the community while we're down." The University System has budget problems that have resulted in cutbacks and layoffs, but Ketchum-Ciftci pointed out that the remodeling project doesn't involve state dollars. The remodeling money comes out of student fees, which are segregated funds, she said. The building is also due for a renovation, with the oldest part dating back to 1958, with many of the building systems such as heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical needing an update, she said. Many other UW campuses have been renovating their dated union buildings in the last few years, she said, to present a welcoming face to new students who will utilize the facility as their "campus living room," she said. The project will provide an additional 34,000 square feet to the building, which will expand to the west, 14 feet from the sidewalk on the first floor and four feet from the sidewalk on the second floor because of an overhang. The building will add a 150-person, multi-purpose theater and recital/lecture hall with a sloped floor and expand the Laird Room from 575-seat capacity to 800, the concourse and kitchen, food serving and dining areas. Ketchum-Ciftci said the building will be more energy efficient, providing the ability to section off portions of the building with zone heating that isn't available now. The project will also increase the R-value of windows in the facility, she said. R-value is the measure of insulation. The project has been on drawing boards since 1995-96, when approval was given to begin phasing in construction, which was periodically delayed as other projects such as the Noel Fine Arts Center took precedence. The original Student Union building opened in the spring of 1959 in the center of the then-campus, which consisted of a much-larger Old Main building, the Campus Laboratory School (the Communication Arts Center), Steiner Hall (now South Hall), Delzell Hall, the former library (Student Services Center) and Nelson Hall. As enrollment grew from 1,500 in the late 1950s to nearly 9,000 by 1970, the Student Union was expanded as the campus grew to the north. The first major change to the building, which became known as the University Center, was in 1966 with a 35,000-square-foot addition that doubled the original space. That expanded dining areas, moved the snack bar (the Gridiron) up to the main level, created more meeting rooms and provided room for a consolidated textbook rental and university store. In 1972 work began on another addition on the west end, this time doubling the size of the building to its present 140,000 square feet. That project created the campus information center, the Laird Room for banquets, the La Follette Lounge, the concourse and a larger store and textbook rental center. While the size of the building has remained the same, several remodeling projects altered the interior. In 1978 space in the lower level was renovated into the Campus Activities/Student Involvement complex. In 1981 the kitchen and dining area were renovated. The first phase of the current project was begun in 1998 with the renovation of several areas.

Dreyfus University Center to undergo remodeling project
Pointer Alumnus Newsletter, Spring 2006

Come fall 2007, UWSP's "living room" is going to look very different.

With a $23.7 million remodeling project beginning in May, the Lee Sherman Dreyfus University Center will close its doors for one academic year and two summers while the work is being completed, reopening in fall 2007.

Financed through student fees, the project will include a visually pleasing and updated glass, stone and brick fa�ade, two-story concourse with retail and lounge spaces, small theatre, larger Laird Room and additional refurbishments. (For a complete list of new UC features, see side bar.)

"Students will hopefully notice that although the building is similar, it will look, feel and operate like new," says Laura Ketchum-Ciftci, UC director, of the new building.

"We want people to feel at home here since we are the 'living room' of UWSP," she added. "The renovated building will be a nice centerpiece for the campus."

The decision to close the building during construction was made by UWSP administrators and student representatives from the UC Policy and Advisory Committee and Student Government Association.

According to Ketchum-Ciftci, the decision is saving $1.5 million and four months of construction. During a phased project, space would have been severely limited and offices would constantly be shuffled to different areas.

Approved by the State Building Commission last fall, this large-scale remodeling has been in the works since 1996 and is the third phase of UC renovations. The first was the addition of an elevator adjacent to the Basement Brewhaus in 1999 and the second was the remodeling of the lower level Student Involvement and Employment, Campus Activities and Recreation and student organization offices in 2000.

While planning for the project, members of the UC Policy and Advisory Committee came up with a list of wants including a bowling alley. That proved to be too expensive said Ketchum-Ciftci, but other ideas are being met by the project.

The architectural firms on the project, Perkins and Will of Chicago and SDS of Eau Claire, are known for their sustainability efforts, says Ketchum-Ciftci, and will be using recycled materials and taking environmental issues into account when addressing heating and cooling system needs in the building. Perkins and Will was the firm that designed Old Main over 110 years ago. For more information about the remodeling project, answers to frequently asked questions, architectural drawings and floor plans, go to www.uwsp.edu/centers/construction.

The completed Dreyfus UC remodeling project will offer:

• An expanded and welcoming west entrance area and a more prominent, inviting and cohesive facade
• An open two-story front corridor offering various small retail and student organization space
• Site improvements including entry plazas, new landscaping, a revised parking lot and loading dock and additional storage for the receiving area
• An atrium dining addition on the south side
• Renovated dining serving and seating area
• Expanded computer lab
• Remodeled kitchen space for less crowding, more efficient food production, cooking display capabilities and better space layout for delivery systems
• Laird Room expansion from 575 seats to 800 seats
• A small 175-200 person multi purpose sloped floor theatre
• A fire suppression system
• Upgraded electrical and mechanical systems
• Review of passenger and freight elevators, roofing and associated systems for functionality, with appropriate action taken

Where did they go?

Many of the services normally housed in the Dreyfus UC began moving to new locations in January and will return to the UC when it reopens in the fall of 2007.

Delzell Hall is the new home of Conference and Reservations and the Student Government Association.

Nelson Hall is the new base of operations for Student Involvement and Employment, student organization offices, Campus Activities and Recreation, Centertainment Productions, Campus Ushers, Multicultural Resource Center, Program Services and University Centers administration.

The former County Market building at 200 Division Street is the new home of the University Store, Text Rental, University Box Office, Point Card Office and University Centers cashier. A grand opening of the University Store's new location will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 24-25.

DeBot Center is the new location of University Dining Services.

The Learning Resource Center/University Library will house the Campus Information Center.

The Residence Hall Association will be located at 601 Division Street.

UC project set for 2006
Pointer Alumnus Newsletter, Spring 2005

Naming it for Dreyfus is just the beginning of changes coming to the University Center, which will see a $17 million addition and renovation project beginning in April 2006. The work will be done in phases to allow the building to remain partially open during construction, with an anticipated completion date of fall 2007.

Perkins and Will of Chicago and SDS of Eau Claire have already begun to design the project, which will be financed by student fees. The project will add 43,000 square feet and renovate about half of the current building’s 153,000 square feet, reallocating and adding space, refurbishing the aging building, modernizing kitchen and dining areas and upgrading mechanical and electrical systems. The architects plan to incorporate sustainability concepts such as natural light and energy efficiency into the design.

Perkins and Will, an international firm, has a historical connection to UWSP as its architects designed Old Main 110 years ago when the campus was founded.