Tuve to stay offline next academic year

Tuve Hall will be unavailable for student housing in the 2024-2025 academic year, as it is set to be offline again for renovations. 

Augustana first announced in spring 2023 that repairs to Tuve Hall would be made during the current school year. 

In an email to the Augustana Mirror, Shannan Nelson, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said the Tuve project is still a work in progress, and there are currently no set specifics about the project’s timeline and exact renovations. 

President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said one of the university's main construction focuses currently is adding apartments to Grange Avenue. She said that focus, in part, results from a waiting list of students who would like to live in them, making it “first among equal of priorities.” 

“Personally, I believe that renovating Tuve is a good investment, and I am happy to hear of the changes,” junior Olivia Kern, former Tuve resident, said. “I have not heard any specifics on what the renovation will include, but I look forward to hearing more about the renovation in the future.”

According to an Augustana Mirror article published in April 2023, upgrading the bathrooms and plumbing was slated as the main focus for Tuve’s renovations when students first learned it would be offline in 2023-2024. 

Whitney Jibben, assistant dean of students for community standards, said “finishes” renovations to Tuve began in 2018 and 2019 with the addition of new carpet, furniture and modular closets to replace what used to be just rods. 

“That was only finishes, so the focus now is the remainder of the building, like restrooms and common spaces,” Jibben said. “There hasn’t really been any decisions made, but those are most likely the focal points of what will be changing.”

Jibben said that after an assessment, it was concluded that the pipes in Tuve are original. She said the university is looking at options to update them. According to an Augustana article, Tuve Hall was constructed in 1950. 

Senior AJ Heckenlaible, president of Gender and Sexuality Alliance, said they noticed some issues with infrastructure when using Tuve for GSA meetings and events before the residence hall went offline. 

“That building needs AC as soon as possible,” Heckenlaible said. “Updated bathrooms, too. I think that is also really important.”

Heckenlaible said their GSA co-president sometimes encountered difficulty in navigating Tuve while in a wheelchair. 

“I don’t think much of [Tuve] was ADA compliant either,” Heckenlaible said. “At one point, the door in between our two rooms…her wheels couldn’t fit through.”

Jibben said the upcoming project is not finalized yet, but the renovations could also include making Tuve more aligned with regulations enforced by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

“We do have some spaces in Tuve that are ADA accessible, but the building as a whole is not,” Jibben said. “So that would also be something that would be considered, depending on the scope of the project.”

Kern said the renovations will ultimately benefit future residents. 

“I personally think that the renovations are necessary and will enhance the living experience of those who live in the dorm,” Kern said.