Biology Shoved Under Tables
Zach Lewis
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News
With the new F. Eugene Romano Hall science and technology complex under construction, the feelings of biology students and professors are bittersweet. Although the biology department will get two shared lab spaces in the new facility, they will not have labs, research rooms or classrooms solely dedicated to biology research and education.
According to a recent memo from the office of Utica College President Todd S. Hutton that went out to faculty and staff on April 3, there has been minimal funding for a new facility dedicated to new biology labs.
In the memo Hutton said, "There is more industry and government funding for programs like the health sciences building and economic crime than there is for biology labs."
The memo also goes on to say that it is possible that the college may not reach the goal of new biology labs by the end of its current campaign.
Bryant W. Buchanan, assistant professor of biology has been working at UC for six years and feels great disappointment about the recent biology lab setback.
"When I was hired, I was told that we would have new labs soon," Buchanan said. "If you see the state of our labs, you could imagine that having new labs would be attractive. Conversely, having to teach using outdated spaces would not be attractive. We are anxiously awaiting the promised new teaching and research facilities."
With a similar feeling of disappointment about the setback, associate professor of biology Sharon Wise feels that the memo that went out to the faculty and staff from Hutton almost sounded like they were giving up on the project altogether.
"I hope that announcement did not admit defeat about getting a new biology building," Wise said.
Laura Alsheimer, sophomore biology major, said that one of the reasons that she chose to come to UC was because she was told there would be a brand new biology building by 2008.
"When I was taking the tour at Utica College, admission officers told me that in 2008 there would be great new facilities for biology," Alsheimer said. "I don't believe that they lie to you while giving tours of the college, but they do deceive you to try to get you to come here. They try to make you believe that before coming here, to Utica College, we will have new buildings. I see, now, that is not going to happen."
According to a recent memo from the office of Utica College President Todd S. Hutton that went out to faculty and staff on April 3, there has been minimal funding for a new facility dedicated to new biology labs.
In the memo Hutton said, "There is more industry and government funding for programs like the health sciences building and economic crime than there is for biology labs."
The memo also goes on to say that it is possible that the college may not reach the goal of new biology labs by the end of its current campaign.
Bryant W. Buchanan, assistant professor of biology has been working at UC for six years and feels great disappointment about the recent biology lab setback.
"When I was hired, I was told that we would have new labs soon," Buchanan said. "If you see the state of our labs, you could imagine that having new labs would be attractive. Conversely, having to teach using outdated spaces would not be attractive. We are anxiously awaiting the promised new teaching and research facilities."
With a similar feeling of disappointment about the setback, associate professor of biology Sharon Wise feels that the memo that went out to the faculty and staff from Hutton almost sounded like they were giving up on the project altogether.
"I hope that announcement did not admit defeat about getting a new biology building," Wise said.
Laura Alsheimer, sophomore biology major, said that one of the reasons that she chose to come to UC was because she was told there would be a brand new biology building by 2008.
"When I was taking the tour at Utica College, admission officers told me that in 2008 there would be great new facilities for biology," Alsheimer said. "I don't believe that they lie to you while giving tours of the college, but they do deceive you to try to get you to come here. They try to make you believe that before coming here, to Utica College, we will have new buildings. I see, now, that is not going to happen."
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