The inside of Founders Residence Hall may look different to students when they return to BGSU this fall. This summer, Founders Residence Hall will be closed for special renovations including an updated fire safety system, technology upgrades, and aesthetic improvements.

The first and ground floors will be completely renovated and upgraded before students move in this August. The rest of the improvements will be finished in summer 2006.

May 2005 marked the beginning of a two-year project to renovate and upgrade technology access in Founders. The total cost of the project will be $2.25 million. There are 73 suites in Founders, all of which will be completed by next summer. The project to renovate Founders will continue next summer, with work on the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors. Project manager Ryan Miller said that the work will be divided equally between this and next summer.

By the end of next summer, Founders will have a coat of fresh paint on all the walls and ceilings, new carpeting throughout the building, new lighting, and a redecorated lobby.

The lobby carpet will be replaced with vinyl flooring that will look like wood paneling, Carney said.

The computer lab will also be given a face-lift. The existing desks that attach to the wall will be removed. Replacing them will be movable computer desks, and comfortable seating for students who want to use a laptop computer in the lab.

Every semester, residence halls need minor repairs and touch-up painting. But major cosmetic improvements like replacing all carpets and repainting are not done so often.

It has been 12 years since Founders was first renovated with all new paint and carpeting.

To improve fire safety in the building, sprinklers will be added in every suite in Founders. Currently, there is a limited sprinkler system in the building, with sprinklers in the lobby and in the dining area. Adding sprinklers isn’t necessary or required by law, but sprinklers would make the building safer for students, said Tim Carney, who is an assistant director of Residence Life for facilities.

“Ultimately, we are trying to provide the safest and most up to date [fire detection system],” Carney said.

So, in addition to adding sprinklers, the University will upgrade fire alarms to a “smart system,” according to Carney. There will be zonal detectors in each suite and hallway, and a fire panel that will show where in the building the fire alarm went off. The panel will be located at a central location in the building, like at the front desk, he said. Also, the existing fire alarms will remain in each room.

The whole building will have a faster Internet connection with an upgrade to Category 6 network wiring. CAT 6 wiring offers double the bandwidth of the existing system, which means a faster connection for residents of Founders. The technology renovations will be finished before fall semester begins.

Sources agreed that the changes in Founders Hall will benefit students. But has closing Founders all summer created any problems?

In previous summers, Founders Hall housed guests who were visiting campus for one of several conferences that are held annually at BGSU. Founders is popular with conference-goers who stay overnight on campus, because it the one of few places that has private bathrooms. With the building closed all summer, some overnight visitors are disappointed.

Kerby Nelson is a newly appointed assistant director of Residence Life for conference programs. Nelson said that one small group of about 30 people cancelled their conference after hearing that they would be unable to stay overnight in Founders. But, the conference schedule is still busy, Nelson said.

“Renovations every year create a challenge, but its nothing we have a problem dealing with,” Nelson said.

Nelson said that there are several conferences scheduled for the rest of the summer. Some conferences are very large, with more than 300 people attending. Those people are usually housed in MacDonald Hall or in the Kreisher-Harshman quads, so closing Founders wasn’t bothersome for most overnight conference guests.

Summer on-campus residents will not be affected by the building being closed. Summer residents are usually placed in Conklin Hall.

The hall will be open to residents again this fall semester.