The van Dam reconstruction is the newest project in a series of renovation and beautification endeavors, which the university has undertaken in the past several years. These efforts have been the source of many complaints from Brown students and faculty alike, who claim to be frequently inconvenienced by the constant work.

Although the current project has aroused similar grievances, the University argues that it is necessary. Michael Phillips, Chair of the Brown Renovation and Beautification Committee, holds that it will benefit students in the long run. "We understand that the CIT offers valuable informational and technological resources to students, but the risks will be too high if we neglect this project for any longer." Phillips explained, "van Dam has been standing in the Computer Science Department since 1965. Over the years, as students have passed through, [it] has experienced increasing wear. Just recently has it become especially conspicuous. The harsh truth is that if van Dam were to break, the futures of countless CS students would be in jeopardy." He added, "The university simply wants to prevent such a disaster."

The construction will be extensive and costly. Plans include renovation of the fa�ade of van Dam, which has experienced extreme erosion due to harsh weather conditions. Likewise, the university will bolster van Dam's supports in order to prevent its collapse. The most expensive aspect of the project, though, will be the retrofitting required to meet current Rhode Island state codes.

If the construction goes according to plan, the university projects that van Dam may remain standing for another forty to fifty years, which is "a testament to the strength of its original design, more so than anything else," said Phillips.

Upon inquiry of the university's next project, Phillips said that it has plans to "reinforce Dean Bergeron's pompadour."