Jan. 27, 2017
CWU "Movezilla" Adapts to Construction, Creates One-Stop Shop for Students
In February, CWU will begin a year-long series of moves on the Ellensburg campus as a result of Central Washington University's progress on record state construction funding.
Phase 1 of the moves, which employees have dubbed "Movezilla," involves newly renovated Bouillon and Lind Halls. Additional moves to and from Barge, Mitchell and Hebeler Halls will create space needed in Bouillon Hall for a one-stop student services center.
"Right now, students go to four buildings to find business offices for the registrar, admissions, Connection Card, financial aid, the cashier, and testing," said President James L. Gaudino, who has made formation of the one-stop shop a priority. “The idea is to put the services students need most into one convenient location and take the confusion out of the process.”
In February, Enrollment Management administrative and admissions offices move from Mitchell to Hebeler Hall. That move will allow Human Resources to move out of Bouillon to Mitchell Hall. Between each move, facilities staff have a short period in which to clean and configure space for the next inhabitants. Planning the construction and renovation, meeting with contractors and employees, and scheduling cleaning and moving has been a complex process according to Bill Yarwood, Central's director of facilities planning and construction services
"It's three-dimensional chess with 175 pieces," laughed Yarwood. "Faculty and staff generally have been good to work with and excited about the refreshed and new space."
Yarwood said renovation of Bouillon and Lind halls will be substantially complete by May. CWU has requested funding to do additional renovations to those facilities in the next two-year budget period.
Academic departments that will be affected during Movezilla include communications, which will move to the first floor of Lind Hall, and Air Force and Army ROTC programs, which relocates to the second floor of Lind. Administrative offices that will move between now and the end of July include Enrollment Management, Registrar, Payroll, The Connection Card Office, Testing, Financial Aid, and the Cashier.
In the 2015-2017 state budget period, CWU has received about $130 million to modernize, overhaul, and build facilities in Ellensburg. Cornerstone projects have included Science II, which opened in fall 2016. The addition to and renovation of Samuelson Hall will be completed next year and open as a modern facility for the computational sciences, computer science, information technology and administrative management, and mathematics.
—January 27, 2017