Campus construction projects to continue in Fall 2023

BY ALYSSA DEWIG News Editor

The physical landscape of USI is set to continue to change in Fall 2023.

The Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center has been undergoing renovations since the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year to become the Wellness Center and is set to finish in the first quarter of Fall 2024. The Health Professions Center will begin renovations over summer and is set to finish by Fall 2023.

Jim Wolfe, director of facilities operations and planning, oversees the construction projects.

“I am involved from the beginning of when a project is even thought about being done,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe said the budget for the RFWC is around $16 million and $12 million of the sum will go toward construction. He said the budget for the Health Professions Center is around $18 million with around $9 million going toward construction and $6 million going to new equipment.

He said the budgets for the construction projects at the RFWC and the Health Professions Center came from state funds, and the leftover money within the budget will go toward design fees for engineer and design technicians, furniture and small fees.

A big portion of the RFWC construction is relocating wellness offices, such as Counseling and Psychological Services and Public Saftey, into one center.

Wolfe said moving these organizations into the RFWC will help incoming students visiting the university see the services all together if they ever need to use them in the future.

“It will be bringing those to where they are actually visible when you’re in a main part of campus,” Wolfe said.

Holli Miller, junior psychology major, said she thinks the construction will allow Public Safety to be more centralized and respond to emergencies quicker.

“I also think having an area where student wellness is the focus will help USI students,” Miller said.

Wolfe said CAPS could “lose some time” to be available for students during its transition into the RFWC.

“Now, Public Safety is a little bit different because it’s all the radio programming and the alarm systems,” he said. “All that has to be transitioned over there.”

The dental hygiene department in the Health Professions Center will be updated with new dental chairs and equipment.

“The entire clinic suite is going to be changed,” said Jennifer Fehrenbacher, assistant professor for dental assisting and hygiene.

Fehrenbacher said the dental hygiene program is also getting radiology rooms so students can take radiographs sooner. She said other changes are also coming.

“The dental assisting students are getting a simulation lab for the first time, which means they will have a dedicated space to learn within the program,” Fehrenbacher said.

She said she is excited for the changes coming to the dental hygiene department.

“I think it will be a lot of work, but I am excited for the challenge of learning the new equipment so we can provide a cutting-edge education in the dentistry field for our students,” she said.

Fehrenbacher said the changes to the dental hygiene department will be better for USI’s branding.

“In my opinion, the setup and look of the clinic suite will represent a dental practice more for the campus and for students not involved in or aware of the program,” Ferenbacher said.

Wolfe said the dental hygiene department construction will not begin until May 8, and it is planned to be completed before the Fall 2023 semester.

Fehrenbacher said she thinks the changes to the dental hygiene department will “present more unity within the campus.”

“Although our students are providing a great service and care to members of our local community through their learning experiences, I think it’s important to have that campus connection too,” Fehrenbacher said.