Six outdated life science teaching laboratories located in Magill Hall (constructed in 1958) are being modernized to facilitate collaborative, technology-resourced and inquiry-based instruction. Renovations will address deferred maintenance and conformance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines. The costs of construction are being covered by a combination of federal grant and university match funds.
Renovations Key Personnel
University
| Title III Project Director: | Dr. Chris McGowan Dean of the College of Science, Technology and Agriculture |
| Renovations Project Manager: | Lisa Howe Senior Project Manager, Facilities Management |
| Radiation Safety Officer: | Dr. Walt Lilly Professor of Biology |
| Chemical Hygiene Officer: | Dr. John Kraemer Assoc. Professor of Biology/Environmental Science |
Contractual
| Architect for the anatomy and physiology laboratories' renovation | Amee Louise Boettcher, affiliated with Pellham Phillips Architects & Engineers, headquartered in Springfield, MO. |
| Construction contractor for the anatomy and physiology laboratories' renovation | Nip Kelly Equipment Company, headquartered in Cape Girardeau, MO. |
| Architect fortheoverall renovation of Magill Hall and remainingTitle III laboratory renovations | The Clark Enersen Partners, Science & Research Design Group, headquartered in Kansas City, MO. |
| Constructioncontactor fortheoverall renovation of Magill Hall and remainingTitle III laboratory renovations | River City Construction, L.L.C., headquartered in Peoria, IL. |
Bond-Funded Renovations
In October 2010, the University’s Board of Regents approved issuing bonds to fund campus-wide infrastructure improvements including $17.9 million for renovating the Magill Hall of Science. The goal of the Magill Hall renovation is to replace antiquated HVAC systems, improve energy efficiency, remediate hazardous materialand correct accessibility issues throughout the building.
As a result of the plan to renovate Magill Hall in its entirety, Title III renovated rooms will be even more modernized with the complete replacement of mechanical and electrical systems in the building; the replacement of exterior windows; and the furring out and insulation of exterior walls.
Title III renovated rooms will also be brought into increased conformance with OSHA standards and ADA guidelinesthrough the installation of a building-wide fire protection sprinkler system.
In the new schematic design for the building, spaces are aggregated by scientific discipline, afloor plan which will provide greater opportunities for the utilization of shared equipment and a more functional and collaborative environment for faculty and students.
In the life sciences, more experiential learning opportunities will result from having thedepartment's animal museum interconnected with theanimal biology teaching laboratory and the department's herbarium located adjacent to the plant biology teaching laboratory. In light ofthe new adjacency of these teaching resources, Title III renovating has expanded to include these two collection roomsand increased, from 7,889 to 10,746 feet,the amount of deferred maintenance which the project is addressing.
New Timeline of Title III Laboratory Renovations
| October 2011 – July 2012 | Construction of the reconfigured animal biology, plant biology and biology education teaching laboratories,the biology department's animal museum and herbarium, six preparation rooms, and one storage room. |
| November 2010 – August 2011 | Design development of all Title III Project rooms which remain to be renovated. These are the animal biology, plant biology, biology education and interactive biology teaching laboratories, the biology department's animal museum and herbarium, and associated preparation and storage rooms. |
| February 2011 – October 2011 | Demolition and hazardous material abatementof the easternhalf of Magill Hall, the location of the animal biology, plant biology and biology educationteaching laboratories, the biology department's animal museum and herbarium, six preparation rooms, and one storage room. |
| October2011 - July 2012 | Demolition and hazardous material abatementof the westernhalf of Magill Hall, the location of the interactive biology teaching laboratory and an adjacent storage room. |
| May - July 2012 | Modification of the renovated anatomy and physiology teaching laboratories and the preparation room between them. The rooms' systems are modified to interface with the building's new mechanical systems; exterior windows are replaced; and exterior walls are furred out and insulated. |
| August 2012 – May 2013 | Construction of the reconfigured interactive biology teaching laboratory and adjacent storage room. |
Laboratory Renovating Results
As of October 1, 2012, five of six outdated life science teaching laboratories in Magill Hall are renovated to OSHA code and ADA accessibility guidelines and reconfigured to faciliate technology-resourced, inquiry-rich teaching.
Conformance with OSHA codes and ADA accessibility guidelines includes:
- Replacement of out-dated plumbing, wiring, light fixtures, windows, cabinetry, sinks, faucets and shelving with updated, energy efficient infrastructure, fixtures and furnishings.
- Completion of hazardous material abatement including radiation remediation and the removal of all asbestos containing materials.
- Installation of emergency showers and eyewashes, seamless abuse-resistant flooring and a fire protection sprinkler system.
- Reconstruction of all interior and exterior doorways to meet dimension and door handle specifications per ADA accessibility guidelines.
All five remodeled teaching laboratories are updated with the following equipment:
- New can lights, whiteboards and tackboards
- New energy efficient applicances (e.g., dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers).
- A reverse osmosis (RO) water tap system which is of higher purity than a distilled water system.
- Projectors, projector screens, Wi fi, and electrical outlets at each student table.
The two anatomy and physiology teaching laboratories are additionally equipped with:
- Moveable tables and ergonomic chairs
- New microscopes and anatomical models
- Software interface and sensors for physiology labs
- Laptop computers and dedicated desktop computers
- A document camera
The animal biology teaching laboratory is additionally equipped with:
- A wall-mounted Smart Board
- A second projector (for displaying images simultaneously)
- An overhead camera (for projecting images of actual specimans)
The plant biology teaching laboratory is additionally equipped with:
- Moveable tables and chairs
- A wall-mounted Smart Board
- A table-top laminar flow hood
- Two growth racks (one of which is shared with the biology education lab)
The biology education teaching laboratory is additionally equipped with:
- Moveable tables and chairs
- A wall-mounted Smart Board
- An instructor's table with water, gas and electricity
Additional teaching tools for the life science teaching laboratories, (e.g., microscopes, computers, computer software, colorimeters, spectrophotometers, balances, aqua racks, cameras, microcentrifuge and cooler) will be purchased during the final two years of the project.
To assess students' satisfaction with the remodeled facilities, a room condition survey will be administered to students who take a life science course in these teaching laboratories during the years 2013-2104, and the results will be compared with baseline data collected in the fall of 2008 and the spring of 2010.