News

Capital and Critical Repairs Projects Update

As part of the critical repairs portfolio approved by the College’s Board, three buildings have been were upgraded this summer. Pendelton East was completed in August and now features updated lighting, and paint in the classrooms and common areas, as well as a new energy-efficient HVAC system along with some other interior upgrades. New furniture has been ordered for the building’s common spaces and is expected to arrive in September. Several important critical repairs were also addressed over the summer in Founders Hall, including the installation of a new fire sprinkler system, exterior masonry repairs, hallway lighting, and fresh paint. Work to upgrade the Davis Museum’s HVAC system is expected to be finished by the end of September 2023.

The process of upgrading Wellesley’s residence halls began in earnest last summer, first with Severance Hall, and will continue over the next ten years.

Construction is limited to summer months so not to disrupt residence hall living for Wellesley’s students. Renovations on Severance Hall wrapped up this summer, creating many new upgrades and amenities for students, including energy-efficient heat upgrades, exterior brick and roof repairs, modern kitchenettes and bathrooms, new appliances, lighting, paint, and floor finishes. The building was also upgraded to provide handicapped access with the addition of a new ramp and elevator.

Tower Court in May 2024 with completion planned for August 2024. Renovation of Claflin Hall is scheduled to begin in May 2024, and the design process is underway. Overall, planned upgrades in the residence halls include upgraded common areas, new interior paint, flooring, and lighting, new energy-efficient heating systems, bathroom and kitchenette upgrades with new plumbing lines, electrical wiring upgrades, ADA access upgrades, and exterior masonry and roofing repairs. “It’s so exciting to see these renovations being completed,” said Michelle Maheu, Director of Planning, Design and Construction. “The spaces are being transformed and we’re meeting the goals of improving the student experience while increasing energy efficiency and accessibility.” The design process for critical repairs planned for Clapp Library and the Pool House, and a new Health and Counseling Center are progressing as well. Construction in these buildings is scheduled to begin in December/January.

Q&A with Jeri Johansen, Communications Coordinator & Administrative Assistant, Facilities Management & Planning

Q: How long have you worked at Wellesley?

A: I have been at Wellesley College for seven

years.

Q: What are your overall responsibilities?

A: As a communications coordinator, I oversee

the service line for students, faculty, and staff.

I respond and dispatch calls to our Facilities

maintenance team with related repairs,

questions, and concerns, including calls for

custodial services. I am also the first point of

contact at Facility Management’s front desk for

all visitors and guests and I provide general

administrative support to Facilities Management

& Planning team.

Q: Have you managed the service line since

you started at Wellesley? If not, what other

positions have you held at the college?

A: My first job at Wellesley was in the Accounts

Payable office where I worked for five years.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?

A: I enjoy working the service line and love

helping people. My first objective is always to

be friendly when calls come in. I take each call

with concern, remembering it’s important to be

mindful and have a positive attitude.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges of

your role?

A: The biggest challenges are at the beginning of

the school year. Having the patience to support

and assist the Students (and mainly the parents)

with their transitional move as it can get quite

hectic.

Q: What are the easiest service requests to

address?

A: My easiest requests are overall routine

maintenance (plumbing, heating. and electrical)

calls. It makes it easy now because I know

how to communicate work-related repairs and

maintenance to our department’s maintenance

shop.

Q: Is there anything you’d like the students,

faculty, and administration to understand about

the process of fulfilling service requests?

A: Sometimes I wish that students, faculty, and

staff could be a little more mindful of the shop’s

time. If they know future repairs are going to be

needed, it’s important that they not wait until the

last minute to put in a rushed work order.

Q: Where is your favorite place on campus?

A: The entire Wellesley Campus is beautiful,

and I love walking around exploring. You find

little interesting nooks around campus. Looking

over Waban Pond

Operations Teams Update

The summer months are always extremely busy on Wellesley’s campus with a push to address capital projects and operational maintenance work to take advantage of a reduced presence on campus. Wellesley’s Operations group spends the summer months supporting day-to-day service needs for the college’s summer programs. The Operations team also works to accelerate maintenance projects in administration buildings, classrooms, and residence halls to ensure as many projects as possible are addressed while the college is in summer recess. While some of this work is visible, most notably the work on the college’s landscaping, much of this work takes place behind the scenes.