In recent years, UMSL students have noticed their tuition going toward new campus projects instead of buildings currently used by students, such as Clark and Lucas Halls. In 2023, the university launched “Transform UMSL,” a $100 million development project including a new welcome and alumni center, a library transformation and a reconstructed north campus. Now, two years later, the constant construction continues to disrupt students’ routines, brewing a quiet frustration among those studying in buildings neglected by attention.
Clark Hall was built in 1968 and currently houses the archaeology lab, UMSL Veterans Center, the Sociology Department and Language and Cultural Studies. Throughout all hours of the day, students walk in and out of Clark’s doors, heading to classes or stopping by the study area to catch up on coursework.
To gain more insight into how students feel about the condition of Clark Hall and campus construction, I spoke with willing participants passing through Clark. Ashley Heck, a third-year UMSL student, said, “Why did it take me ten minutes to get to this building because of the construction?” It’s not the construction that bothers her, but the way that the fence is set up to block students off from the library, cutting off their access to the sidewalk that gets them across the Quad to Clark Hall.
A second concern was voiced regarding the elevators. Mia Music, a new-to-campus senior, articulated, “They don’t feel very safe,” giving off light flickering, old and janky vibes.
Heck also points out the degrading conditions of Clark’s restrooms: “Some of the doors don’t lock.” Along with exposed rusty metal, unidentified stains on the walls and continuous graffiti, students are not happy. An anonymous student reported that one of the men’s stalls was without a door. Jacob Toweson, a third-year student, says, “Sometimes they reek of piss.”
Students overwhelmingly reported/complained that Clark’s classrooms were in similar states of disrepair. Toweson said, “The rooms do look like they’re falling apart in some places. Stuff just won’t work. The computers just won’t turn on for some of my professors.”
Heck reported that speaker connections in rooms are unreliable and the HVAC system can keep rooms at intolerable temperatures. She claims that the chalkboards never seem to have been cleaned at any time of day.
Music said these problems are not limited to students’ complaints; staff are affected, too. “A couple of (professors) have said they have asked for (the heat) to be turned down or be fixed,” she said. “No one’s gotten back to them. They just don’t care.”
That seems to be the general sentiment in the building. The lack of attention to Clark Hall forces students to acclimate to a decrepit, seemingly decaying building. The students I spoke with feel that Clark Hall has needed care for a long time. This is something even the campus is willing to document, as Clark Hall has been listed as “major renovation required” since it was checked in January 2024.
It doesn’t seem as though students in Clark Hall would disagree.
