While many mathematics department faculty and students are excited about the prospect of a new math building, the physical reality of the building is still far off.
Director of Facilities Planning Gordon DeWitt said "it's going to be a while" -- more than a year -- until the College sees the finished Kemeny building.
Before the College can even hire an architect, it will undertake a programming study of how the project will be "budgeted out," DeWitt said.
According to Director of Principal Giving Lucretia Martin, the Board of Trustees voted to fund the construction of the new building -- which will be named for former College president John Kemeny -- through gifts from alumni and other outside sources.
Martin said the Trustees are using this building to address two issues: the need to honor Kemeny -- who oversaw the coeducation of the College in the 1970s -- and the need for a new math department building.
"The Trustees decided to honor President Kemeny by having the building carry his name," Martin said.
Since the College started soliciting donations about a year ago, "a number of donors and potential donors" have helped it raise $5.5 million for the Kemeny project, Martin said.
The final cost of the project is still uncertain, Martin said. Only after the College hires an architect, approves a design and takes bids from contractors, will the construction costs be known, she said.
While there has been no final decision as to the location of the new building, DeWitt said it will probably be located next to the new Moore Psychology Building, which is currently under construction on the north end of campus.
Construction of the Kemeny building on this site would result in the demolition of Winifred Raven House, current location of Administrative Computing.
