Swing Space II: Berkeley out, Branford In

JULIA PAOLITTO/YH UNDER CONSTRUCTION: According to Troy Garrett of Linbeck Construction Corporation, renovations to Berkeley College will be completed by Sun., Aug. 1.

As the Linbeck Construction Corporation puts the finishing touches on the Berkeley College renovations, sanding the floors and plastering the walls, Branfordians are finally forced to face the harsh truth: they're next.

Jacqueline Chen, BR '00, admitted, "Branford is unofficially in denial about the fact that we are undergoing renovations next year."

Ready or not, Troy Garrett, construction manager for the Berkeley renovations, insists that Berkeley will be ready
by Sun., Aug. 1, the slated date of completion. "In the first three weeks of August, we'll be moving in faculty, new student room furnishings, and new furnishings for public spaces," he said.

Yale College Dean Richard Brodhead, BR '68,
GRD '72, also confirmed that the renovations are on schedule. "I have been told that Linbeck has been consistently ahead of schedule," he said. Brodhead even gave his own personal guarantee, stating, "I will offer to carry in the pos-sessions of all the Berkeley students if it's not ready on time."

After watching the Berkeleyites strive to make the Swing Space home over the course of the past year, Branfordians have misgivings about being the next residents of the dorm. Daniel Serviansky, BR '00, a member of the Branford renovations committee, is upset that his college community will be displaced during his final year at Yale. "I'm going to be a senior next year, and Yale is asking me to give up the residential college experience for my last year," he said. "One of the main reasons I chose Yale was the residential college system."

Serviansky pointed out that the committee was only convened twice and was left guessing about the renovations process. He said that Branford Master Steven Smith "is as in the dark about the renovations as we are."

Students in next year's Branford senior class are especially worried that they won't be able to graduate in their college courtyard and follow the age-old tradition of walking through Branford Memorial Gate, since this year's Berkeley senior class will have its graduation on Cross Campus Lawn. "I think it's too bad we won't be able to graduate in the Berkeley courtyard," Winthrop Hoyt, BK '99, said. "Considering the alternatives, Cross Campus is an acceptable solution, but it is unfortunate that plans were not made so that construction would be far enough along to allow students to graduate in the courtyard," Hoyt added.

Chen, however, doesn't want to accept any alternatives. "I'd be really angry if I didn't get to graduate by walking through the Memorial Gate," she said. "I didn't avoid walking through it for four years to graduate from the Swing Space instead."

Smith said he still doesn't know whether next year's graduating class will be forced to sacrifice this tradition. "It's too early to confirm whether Branford students won't be able to graduate in their courtyard," he said. "The issue has been raised to [University President Richard Levin, GRD '74]. We can't be certain what will be finished by then. I will do everything I can."

The University is trying hard to sweeten the deal for Branford students. Branfordians were receiving e-mails from Smith's office reminding them to ship home unnecessary items because they wouldn't receive summer storage. But the Administration changed its mind on Mon., Feb. 1, deciding to provide students with storage trucks. "My impression of what's going on is that Yale will bring an 18-wheeler, give students unlimited boxes, and their stuff will be driven away and brought back at the beginning of next year," Branford College Council President Christiaan Vorkink, BR '99, said. Berkeley used a similar system.

In the end, Smith believes the hassles of moving into the Swing Space are worth the unique features the newly-renovated Branford will boast in the fall of 2000. The renovation plans include larger doubles, a two-level, multi-purpose room, and a two-story library. Smith hopes these new rooms will lure students from their suites. "The new cable TV atomizes students," he said. "I hope opening up the common room will make it a hangout."

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