MiddBriefs

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Axinn Center opening delayed until April 2008

The target completion date for the Donald E. Axinn '51 Center at Starr Library has been pushed back to April 15, 2008, according to Project Manager Tom McGinn, after the project was originally scheduled for completion in February 2008. The delay will not affect the opening of the center, which had always been planned for summer 2008.

"The warm winter really helped speed things along in December and early January," said McGinn.

The project did encounter a problem on Jan. 31, after workers discovered part of the ceiling smoldering. The Middlebury Fire Department responded to the scene, where the smoldering was extinguished without the use of water. Only minor damage was reported to the structure.

"There were welders working outside doing new construction next to the old construction," said McGinn. "Welding sparks got into a ceiling cavity and smoldered there for a day. When workers arrived the next morning and peeled back the ceiling, they fed oxygen to the sparks and called the fire department."

While the incident is still being investigated, McGinn speculated that certain procedures to prevent fires while doing "hot work" may not have been followed.

"Most accidents are preventable and I have a feeling that this was too," said McGinn.

McGinn stated that 25 percent of the project's $24 million budget has been spent so far, and that the project is on budget.

Renovations to Hillcrest Hall, the new home of the Environmental Studies program, are also on schedule, and will be completed by the end of May according to Julie Hoyenski, the Facilities Services communication specialist.


Students hope to do well in '07 recycling contest

The College will compete in the national RecycleMania contest this winter and spring for the second year in a row.

The contest's main goal, according to the RecycleMania website, is "to increase student awareness of campus recycling." Each participating college or university sets up goals for its own waste reduction plan. From Jan. 28 to April 1, they compete in several categories, including most waste reduced overall. The lowest week of recycling data is dropped in computing the 10-week total.

Colleges and universities are a good place to cut down on waste. According to the contest organizers, between 30 and 70 percent of all campus waste comes from residence halls or dining halls, about half of which can be recycled.

RecycleMania started in 2001 with just two schools, and has grown to include over 200 participants for this year's competition.

The College won the composting category last year, and placed 5th in the bottles and cans category.

For the first week of competition, ending Feb. 9, Middlebury was in 15th place overall, with a 33 percent cumulative recycling rate. Yale is currently in first place, with 65 percent.