OA FALL 2024 MAGAZINE

AGING AND DEFICIENT FACILITIES

One of the most immediate effects of increased enrollment is the overcrowded facilities. Le Fer Hall can no longer house all residential students in their own individual rooms or suites. As of Fall 2024, there are no single rooms in Le Fer. Les Bois Hall was brought online in Fall 2021 and reached capacity in 2023. The former Guest House was made available to students in Fall 2023 as The Lake House and quickly reached capacity. Fall 2024 introduced Le Ponte, the white house across Le Fer Lake, as yet another housing

option for upper-class students. In addition, not only were housing options needed, but the College also required additional furniture. Each room needed a bed frame, headboard and footboard, dresser, desk and chair. Classrooms that were adequate for decades with seating for ten to 20 students now struggle to accommodate the growing student population. During the summer, more than 50 employees relocated to different offices in a space utilization and repurposing initiative to better serve students. Large

offices have become classrooms that accommodate up to 36 students for general education classes. “While the facilities and information technology teams worked deliberately to utilize already existing furniture and technology, some classrooms are equipped with plastic tables and repurposed chairs from the library,” said Frankie Morris Enochs ’93, vice president for institutional technologies and operations. “No new furnishings were purchased in this process,” Enochs added.

ENROLLMENT TO WOODS FUND COMPARISON

623

596

534

511

508 513

Enrollment Climb

390

330

305 302

The Woods Fund

$1,107K

$1,130K

$1,121K

$995K

$1,136K

$1,000K

$1,076K

$1,149K

$1,108K

$1,327K

The orange represents the Woods Fund and the blue represents the Fall campus student enrollment. Although the Woods Fund has gained momentum, it has not kept pace with SMWC’s enrollment climb.

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