‘Wake-up’ pushes English department out of Scobey

By SARA BERTSCH Reporter

 

 After receiving a “wake-up call” this fall semester, the English department will finally be moving out of the Scobey Hall basement and into third and fourth floor of Pugsley Hall. 

According to Jason McEntee, the English department head, Scobey Hall is a very old building and its age was becoming apparent. The mold that was found in the beginning of the semester was the breaking point. It just bloomed.

“It’s like a dungeon down there and it was just so far away from everything. Scobey just does not seem very welcoming,” said Claire Derdall, sophomore human development and family students major.

The mold that was found was pronounced to be basic common mold and not poisonous, but it prompted the idea of moving out of Scobey. The basic writing lab is in the worst condition and was moved to the library and then to the basement of Hansen Hall. They also have three operating classrooms that they no longer use. 

“We don’t want our classes taught down here,” McEntee said. “We want the students to come to a nice environment.”

Dean Kattelmann, assistant vice president of facilities and services, agreed that it is time for the department to move. He said that the heating and ventilation system is on its last leg. He hopes with this new move to make the department more centrally located, it will encourage more student participation.

“With the English department in Scobey Hall, it’s just not the experience you expect. It’s about the students and their experiences here,” Kattelmann said.

The English department main offices have been in Scobey Hall since 1992. They were previously in Wagner Hall. Other faculty members like Lynn Hublou, lecturer and the basic writing coordinator, has moved numerous times from Wagner Hall, West Hall and Scobey Hall. 

“I don’t mind Scobey, it’s not bad except the problems we’ve had. The office spaces are fine I just can’t wait until we’re all together in Pugsley,” Hublou said. “I’m not sorry to leave these problems behind.”

The department will be moving in two stages. The first group, which consists of the department head, composition coordinator, instructors and graduate students will move over spring break. The second group, which consists of the remaining faculty, will move after finals week in spring 2014. 

Originally the department was to move at Christmas, but it has been pushed back. According to McEntee, they are currently gutting the third and fourth floor of Pugsley Hall and still preparing for when the department does move. 

Jamie Nagy, a graduate assistant in the English department, has not been in the basement of Scobey Hall for very long but she noticed the issues with having the department down there.

“It’s upsetting especially for the English department, with all the health concerns,” Nagy said. “However, the University has responded with a ton of support, they just needed a wake-up call.” 

McEntee feels that it is best to be moving out of Scobey Hall.

“We don’t have to be in a basement. We haven’t been above ground in over 20 years. People will actually enjoy the work environment. We also want what is best for students and this will make a big difference.”