Wilder Rennovations

Cal Ransom

This Week Editor

Renovations to Wilder Hall will begin Winter Term 2023, updating spaces and increasing functionality in four phases. The first phase will go through fall 2023, the second phase will take place summer 2024, the third phase will happen summer 2025, and fourth phase will take place spring and summer 2026.

The renovations will bring the building up to code and increase functionality without losing the spirit of the building. “I’m really looking forward to what we can bring into Wilder to respect the history while bringing it up to what we really hope for in a student experience,” Associate Dean of Students Thom Julian said.

The rooms housing WOBC and the Gear Co-op will have soundproof walls and floors. WOBC will have a main studio, a workroom with storage for vinyls and CDs, and a tech room, as well as separate a studio B space. - Air conditioning will be installed throughout the building.

- All restrooms from the first floor and above will be gender neutral.

- Step-ups to stalls will be removed and leveled out.

The fourth floor will house student organization offices, including WOBC-FM and the Gear Co-op. This floor will also house storage for organizations that do not need storefront-style offices but need space to store club materials. Tina Zwegat, director of student involvement will work with student organizations to decide how much space they need and facilitate efficient use of space.

The third floor will house a number of student organization hubs. The east side will host Student Leadership and Involvement, Student Senate, the Student Finance Committee, and ExCo offices. Rooms 302, 303, 305, and 306 will be reservable for short term use by individuals or clubs.

The Office for Disability and Access will be moving into rooms 111 and 115, accessible via lift on the west side. The Office will have a new testing center where students can use private rooms or open tables to take tests with accommodations.

Fourth Floor West:

Phase 1

Fourth Floor East:

Phase 2

Third Floor West:

Phase 1

Third Floor East:

Phase 2 The Esports arena in room 302 will be set up with five on five capabilities, space for retro collection, and enhanced wifi.

The Office of Spirituality and Dialogue will have a reservable interfaith prayer room and the International Student Resource Center will feature a green kitchen, in which limited ingredients will be used to fit dietary needs

Second Floor West:

Phase 1

Second Floor East:

Phase 3 The second floor will continue to have identity-based offices including the Multicultural Resource Common, the Office of Spirituality and Dialogue, and the International Student Resource Center, as well as rooms available for temporary reservations. Zwegat will have conversations with leaders of various identity-based organizations on how to best fit their needs throughout the process.

First Floor West:

Phase 1

First Floor East:

Phase 3

Basement:

Mailroom: Phase 1 Dining: Phase 4

During Winter Term, the mailroom will be converted into a space where students can pick up packages and letters from size-based lockers. The lockers will not be assigned to individuals; instead, students will receive a notification with a locker number and code when a package or letter has arrived for them so they can pick it up at any time, even outside mailroom hours.

Outdoor Lift:

Phase 4

A single-person operable lift that will provide access to the porch and first floor of Wilder will be installed. The Office for Disability and Access will be directly accessible from the lift.