Science students and faculty have been losing patience as they wait for the University of Oklahoma to launch much-needed renovations of their buildings.
While the football stadium, library and physics building have been renovated in the past three years, buildings such as the century-old Chemistry Building and the nearly 50-year-old Physical Sciences Center have seen little to no renovations.
Along with being the largest college on OU’s campus, the College of Arts and Sciences holds the record for the most students in an OU college.
OU records show the university’s budget for the 2017 year is set at about $941 million, but only 3.2-percent of that budget will be allocated to the maintenance and repair of facilities.
Tami Martyn, an undergraduate lab developer, said some of the renovations the chemistry building needs include new glass equipment in the laboratories, updated hood vents and “wider learning spaces” for the students.
“A new building is what we’re all waiting on here, we need it,” said Martyn, who has spent the last 17 years at OU, but has seen less than five lab renovations in the chemistry building during her time.
According to the University’s long range facilities plan, the chemistry building requires a $10 million renovation. However, because there currently is no funding for that, it will be another 15 to 30 years until the renovation is completed.