Construction Noise in Mason Disturbs Faculty and Students
By Logan Steiner
Staff Writer

Students and faculty with classes in Mason Hall have had to contend with a barrage of unpleasant noises during their class sessions this year. Renovations are being performed on the south end of Mason to create more office and laboratory space.

Many language and psychology department faculty members in Mason have inadequate office and research space, making this renovation “very necessary” according to Associate Dean of the College Patricia Smiley. The temporary remodeling process will conclude in December. However a major renovation of Mason is scheduled to begin in 2006. At that time, the building will be gutted and all offices, classrooms, and research facilities will be remodeled.

The current construction noises are very distressing to French professor Monique Saigal, whose classes have been repeatedly interrupted by “jack-hammering, banging, and rocket-like sounds.” All three of Saigal’s classes are taught in rooms directly above the construction zone, which at times makes it almost impossible for students to concentrate.

Saigal explained that “When you teach classes in foreign languages, it is different from teaching in English. You need to keep students' attention for much longer and we need to hear each other well. Teaching and viewing French films has also been very difficult because the noise affects the students' concentration and it is nerve-wracking.”

Lauren Kapp ’06, a student in Saigal’s French 101 class, agreed that it is difficult to learn a foreign language with construction noises in the background. Kapp found “it’s pretty distracting when we’re trying to have class. It’s hard enough to hear and speak a language that we’re not completely comfortable with, but it makes it particularly difficult to communicate and hear Saigal with the constant noise.” She added that “at times it gets loud enough that you can’t understand what Madame Saigal is saying.”

Saigal is particularly distressed about the hours during which construction takes place. She remarked “what I noticed is that we don't hear any noise after 2:30 pm It seems to be concentrated in the morning and early afternoon,” making it very disrupting to classes. Caitlin Geary ’06, another student in Saigal’s French 101 class, agreed “the noise pretty much starts right at the beginning of class. It seems like as soon as she starts teaching the drilling begins.”

According to Smiley, although the construction times may be inopportune, there is essentially no other option.

“The pace of work would be very, very slow if the work were done between 4 and 8 p.m. each day,” she said, pointing out that 8 p.m. is the end of the construction day per the City of Claremont. “If we did this, the length of the project would be at least twice as long, I'd estimate.”

Smiley also pointed out that a renovation of this size would have been impossible to complete during the summer months.

“My observation of the work area this summer was that it was very active; it's just a really large job,” she said.

Saigal is not the only professor who has been concerned about the bombardment of unpleasant sounds during class. The distracting noises have caused Spanish professor Mike McGaha to “interrupt my 9:00 am Spanish 44 class twice to go downstairs and ask the construction workers to stop using the jackhammers during hours when classes were in session.” Kitry Bakay ’06, a student in McGaha’s Spanish 44 class, contends that “sometimes it seems like it’s right on the wall next to us, which is when it’s most difficult to deal with…in lectures in particular, I cannot hear what the professor is saying.”

Both Saigal and McGaha spoke to the construction workers on several occasions to ask them to try to make less noise during class hours. Several weeks ago, Saigal emailed Director of Planning and Maintenance Jim Hansen, Dean of the College Gary Kates, and President David Oxtoby to inform them of the situation. Saigal also spoke to Assistant Director and Project Coordinator Tony Ichsan who told her “that he was sorry and soon there would be no noise.” McGaha contacted Associate Dean of the College Rena Fraden, who told him “to be patient until this is over.” However, both professors maintain that the noise has continued to disrupt their classes.

Smiley reported faculty complaints to both Ichsan and Hansen at Campus Planning, who informed her that the jack-hammering was an isolated event. Smiley is aware, however, that all of the loud and disruptive interruptions “put professors in a difficult situation…one class hour lost can’t be easily recovered.”

However, in order for the construction to be finished before second semester the contractors need to work normal daily shifts, which unfortunately overlap with class times at Pomona. Smiley said that it is also “nearly impossible to relocate classes to different buildings because Crookshank classrooms are also being remodeled.”

Smiley concluded, however, that the noise will become less disruptive in the near future. “The work at this point is interior finishing work and should be much quieter,” she assured. Professors and students in the classrooms directly above the construction zone in Mason should find relief soon.