Connecticut College Annual Report 2024

Q: Would you share a bit about your education and experience before coming to Connecticut College?

A: The majority of my career was at UConn Health in Farmington. I had excellent mentors there and learned a lot about the policy and procedure side of facilities. We were way behind on communication between the departments, so the vice president at the time put me in charge of improving this important area. I’ve really tried to bring a lot of what I learned there to Conn. The focus of my bachelor’s degree was in engineering management, where I learned to bridge the gap between the technical and business sides of the work and to speak the same language as a CEO or a CFO. My master’s degree is in construction management where I fine tuned my skills in organizational structure, managing large scale budgets, resources and schedules.

Q: When you came to Conn two years ago, what did you address first?

A: Organizational structure has been key to help manage the department. I've reorganized the team into six main areas: budget and finance for facilities; projects and planning; facilities operations; buildings and grounds services; environmental health and safety; and sustainability. The key was to separate the operations from the services. When I first came to Conn, I went on a listening tour and made it a point to get to almost every division to hear where we can improve. One of the main things that I heard from across the campus was communication, so I really wanted to improve that. We now send a quarterly newsletter with substantial information that includes the main points of projects and planning as well as facilities.

Q: What are some of the big projects you’ve worked on?

A: When I first started, the renovation of  Palmer (now the Athey Center for Performance and Research at Palmer Auditorium) and the Waterfront Revitalization Project were finishing up. The  Stark Center for the Moving Image and the Arboretum offices on Gallows Lane had been started. The biggest project I’ve worked on from the beginning is the renovation of the Crozier-Williams College Center and the transformation of Cro Boulevard from a road to a pedestrian walkway. There was a conceptual design for the latter, but we had to develop the schematic design and then construction documents.

Q: Can you talk a bit about the goals for these projects and how you approached it?

A: First off, we created a project team, which was one of the processes that we implemented when I arrived, made up of members from all areas of the College. On a project like this that involves the entire campus, we set a day aside to give the entire community the opportunity to provide feedback to the architects and designers, starting at 8 a.m. and finishing up at 10 p.m. A long but productive day. Everyone had the opportunity to write notes, comments, look at the conceptual ideas and give their input. We literally went through everything. The architects then developed an a la carte breakdown of the expenses, based on the specifications we developed. The project team reviewed and discussed the details, going back and forth to understand each others’ perspectives. Then a smaller core team focused on the budget to decide exactly how the funds would be used. Since this is a donor-funded project, we involved the Advancement team to ensure the donors are in agreement with the decisions. The main goal for the renovation of Cro is to ignite the center of campus to enhance student life and provide an organic place for people to interact with one another. And the overarching theme of Cro is to bring the Arboretum inside. There'll also be many more spaces for leisure time and comfortable and informal interactions.

Q: There are many moving pieces when you plan a large project, particularly with the development of Cro Boulevard and the Crozier-Plex Pedestrian Connector.  Can you talk about the sequence of events?

A: One of the main goals for Cro Boulevard and the Plex Connector is to make the campus more pedestrian friendly and more accessible, creating a path from the campus center at Cro to the main dining center at Harris. Since we are eliminating parking along Cro Boulevard, we did a parking study to figure out what parking spaces were necessary, and then worked with engineers to figure out what would work with planning and zoning. Everything we took away, we had to replace. I’m really pleased with the way the new parking lot turned out. It’s what we call an “enabling project” and really the catalyst to all the associated work in the surrounding area. Rather than having all mechanical drainage, we created natural retention for stormwater. These rain gardens collect water and we  have  incorporated plantings that support soil retention with input from the Arboretum staff as they consulted on the project as well.

Q: A number of projects that are important to the College are invisible to most of us but often very time consuming and expensive. Could you talk about a couple of those?

A: Probably the biggest project currently in the works is the HVAC at the Plex. Initially the intent was to replace in kind, but when we started developing the project, I realized it was an opportunity to take a maintenance project and transform it into a project that would support our sustainability goals. The existing heating and cooling system is an old steam system that is approximately 65% efficient and that, as a whole, takes care of a quarter of our student population. With this project, we will go from 60-65% efficiency up to 95% efficiency. That's in line with our sustainability goals. We're reducing our carbon footprint at that point. With the investment in this project, we are going with an option that is much more sustainable but also one that we can easily convert if a more energy-efficient opportunity arises in the future.

We’re excited about the upcoming repair to the Plex HVAC system which will reintroduce cooling to all seven buildings and improve indoor air quality. We’ve taken the project a step further to decentralize the Plex from the main steam heating loop to provide a more efficient means to heating. Decentralizing and converting the building to a low-temp hot water system allows the College to utilize alternative energy sources when feasible.

Video created by Connecticut College Student Government Association

Q: What were some of the other ideas you implemented in developing this project?

A: Since we are going to have a lot of ground dug up during the Plex HVAC project, I wanted to take the opportunity to start laying pipe to expand to Cro. At some point in the future when the mechanicals are able to be replaced in that building, we will be able to tie the Plex and Cro together as one system for heating and cooling, leading to more energy efficiency. We won’t be able to make the conversion in Cro right now, but we’re setting up the infrastructure to make that possible down the road. Basically, the veins of the campus are all underground, so the goal is to have the infrastructure in place with the goal of tying the main “guts” of the campus together, which you want to do in one shot and not have to keep going back and digging up the ground. The easier part is replacing the boilers. The idea is to have one central system to take care of all the buildings and begin to develop sub plants around the campus. Eventually, rather than one main plant, there may be six sub plants. These would be much easier to maintain. That’s another thing that you have to think about – something may come along that hasn't happened yet. You want to be ready to take advantage of it. There is a lot to take into consideration.

Q: What projects are on the horizon?

A: We’ve met with the engineers and architects and laid out the goals for the replacement of the pedestrian bridge over Route 32. We plan to have an accessible ramp on the other side. We've already met with officials from the city of New London. Our next step is to meet with the state. The ultimate goal is to have an accessible pathway all the way down to the waterfront. Right now, the main project is to replace the bridge. Then the second part would be to have an accessible pathway.

Q: What do you see for the future?

A: We have a campus that is more than 100 years old, and some of the buildings and systems are nearing the end of their life expectancy or have gone beyond it. It is important to have objective data to help prioritize the highest needs first and help align a financial plan to tackle those projects. To get that data, we commissioned a facilities conditions assessment. I'm really data-driven. That’s how I work and how I present things – from a strictly objective perspective.

If I'm going to tell a story, I'm going to have the numbers to back it up. So to present accurate information to the Board of Trustees and create buy-in with our community, I want to have that at my grasp. It’s critical to look at the campus as a whole rather than what needs fixing today and to help communicate that as well. That is how we will best be able to preserve this beautiful campus that alumni, families, students, faculty, staff and the local community have loved for generations.

Q: In a sentence or two, how would you define sustainability?

A: I define sustainability as working to create a society where human needs and the environment are living in balance and where all people have the ability to participate in decision-making.

Q: Why is sustainability so essential to Conn’s campus planning?

A: It’s really important to act now for climate change. We've seen the recent reports from the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that time is running short to cut our emissions and prevent some of the worst impacts of climate change. As we witness worsening weather events like hurricanes, we realize that our actions need to meet the moment. We want our campus to be a leader in showing that it's possible to reduce emissions and maintain our level of campus beauty. It’s also important to our students because they're the ones who are going to have to live with this world that's being created. We want to demonstrate to them that we're taking this seriously and doing everything that we can to help.

Q: Describe a recent project that you would consider a success.

A: Just this year, we wrapped up a series of LED lighting upgrades that cover about 25% of our campus square footage, including in Shain Library, the Plex and Cummings. LED lighting uses much less electricity than fluorescent lighting and it doesn't have mercury, which needs to be recycled through a careful process.

Q: Are there planned projects happening soon?

A: We've been working on plans for a large solar array at the south of our campus. It would produce the equivalent of 7% of our main campus electricity usage. It's a really good location because it's going to be visible from the main campus, and the trees that we will remove are all invasive and  blocking our view of Long Island Sound, so we'll get back a little more of our water view.

Q: What are the biggest challenges and barriers to progress?

A: One challenge is definitely finances. Sustainability projects are usually great in that they will, over the long term, pay back, but that payback is delayed. So, we have to cover that upfront cost, which might be a little more expensive than “business as usual” to get that benefit down the line. Some projects, like LEDs, pay back quickly. But we're getting down to those projects that have longer paybacks, which are a little harder to make the financial case on.

Q: What is the dream? If you had your way, what would Conn look like in the future?

A: We are working with Facilities Management and Campus Planning on a long-term plan for our heating system. The steam system is aging and there are more efficient options out there. So, if I could wave my magic wand, the first thing we would want is to go from steam to low-temperature hot water, which is more energy efficient and easier to maintain. The pipes don't have to be buried as deep in the ground. The other benefit of hot water is that it can run on geothermal heat pumps, so that would be a completely renewable option for our heating system in the future. Right now, we have to burn gas to heat up the steam, but heat pumps run on electricity. If you're pairing that with solar, then you're running a fully carbon neutral system. That heating system is our biggest challenge when we're thinking about carbon neutrality.  

Q: How will investing in sustainability now benefit future generations of Conn students?

A: I think at the most basic level, investing in sustainability now means that we will save money in the long run. You're usually going to be switching to mechanical systems that run much more efficiently, so you pay less for electricity. We've already seen some of our peer schools like Bates and Dickinson declare carbon neutrality. We don't want to be left behind, but we also want to do it the right way for our campus. A lot of these schools that have gone carbon neutral already have relied on offsets. We want to make substantial investments in reducing our actual emissions without relying on offsets. I think that's why investing in the campus is so important. We'll get those emissions reductions, but we'll also get a better heating system, more controls over lighting and temperatures, and a more comfortable environment overall.

The Dayton Arena array is planned to be installed this semester.

Q: Why is accessibility so essential to campus planning?

A: Accessibility is necessary for a fully inclusive campus environment and a fully engaged campus community. But also, what we do as an institution helps shift and shape the culture and change perceptions and assumptions about people with accessibility needs – and not just for our students but also for faculty, staff, alumni, parents, visitors and the community at large.

Q: Are there any particular projects that you'd highlight as especially successful?

A: We just recently had a soft opening for our Disability Cultural Center, which I think is a huge accomplishment for the College, as few colleges have a cultural center focused on disability. It's a space where students can explore their personal identity and where we can host workshops and trainings. It creates a sense of community and it’s a chance for students, faculty and staff to explore social justice as it relates to accessibility. Our grand opening is planned for April 1.

We've also worked with Facilities Management and the classroom committee to create four fully accessible classrooms on campus. Students with mobility impairments can access the buildings, classrooms and bathrooms with push buttons.  

And for the first time this year, we launched a pre-orientation program for incoming first-year students with disabilities, called Helix. Before the official start of orientation, student participants come to campus early to learn about accessibility and accessibility services, so they are better equipped to acclimate to college life.

Q: Where should Conn focus next in terms of accessibility?

A: We need to continue to invest in building accessibility. Many of our buildings are older and were built without accessibility in mind. We’ve added elevators to a number of the buildings, but there are still buildings without them and without fully accessible bathrooms, like Bill Hall, which is home to psychology, one of our top majors.

If I had unlimited funds, I'd also love to see a new dorm that has improved accessibility features. The Plex is fully accessible and ADA compliant, but we're a residential campus, so housing is very important.

Q: What have you found are the biggest barriers to progress in accessibility?

A: Construction can be daunting and expensive. But as Cro is being renovated and Cro Boulevard is being completed, we see how much it is worth it, how much more accessible those parts of the campus will be.

Q: How will investing in accessibility benefit future generations of Conn students?

A: There’s a saying that for every dollar put into vocational rehabilitation, you get $10 in return because when people with disabilities are employed, they contribute to our economy. Conn’s mission is to educate students to put the liberal arts into action as citizens in a global society, and we can do that better – especially for students with disabilities  – with an accessible campus.

Q: Why are Conn’s natural resources so essential to the Connecticut College experience?

A: Our 750-acre Arboretum campus is a fundamental part of Conn’s identity. What makes the campus so beautiful? Our 100-year-old trees. What’s on our logo? A tree. The Arboretum is a living laboratory for our students and faculty, and it provides a green oasis for them and the greater New London community to enjoy. It’s open to the public 365 days a year free of charge, and.

In terms of the bigger picture, the Arboretum provides a model for land conservation, with open space and habitat for wildlife, a vast collection of native plants and a variety of landscapes.

Q: What is new for the Arboretum team?

A: I became the director about a year ago after working at Conn for almost 10 years, and I’ve been focused on building our team. We’ve hired four new people, and it’s been great getting them familiar with what’s going on and bringing them into the Conn community.

We’re also really excited to have moved to 33 Gallows Lane (formerly the Thames Science Center). We're still looking for an official name, but we’re referring to our new space as the Arboretum Education Center. We’ve been working on the landscape around the building, removing a lot of invasive plants and installing native plants.

Q: Is there a current project you are excited about?

A: Yes, always! While the Arboretum encompasses the whole campus, the part most people think of is the Native Plant Collection where the pond and Buck Lodge are located. Currently, the only way to get there is through the gated main entrance on Williams Street and down a flight of stairs (and then down a slope to the pond). That makes it difficult to access for anyone with mobility issues.

So now we are working on the design for an accessible entrance into that part of the Arboretum across the street from the Arboretum Education Center. It’s a really scenic spot. The pathway is lined with some of our biggest and most impressive specimens of native trees, including several species of maples and oaks, cherry, birch and tulip tree, as well as a pawpaw, and it makes it feel like you’re entering into a truly magical place. We are also hoping to create an entry terrace that could be used as a gathering place for tours or classes.

Q: What are your long-term goals?

A: It’s going to be important for us to build resilience into our landscape. We need to better steward our land and be more thoughtful about our approaches, especially on the main part of campus, where we could institute more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. If that is done thoughtfully, our long-term expenses will go down and we’ll be creating a landscape that’s more beneficial for every living being.