Grass or sidewalk?

This is a decision that students make everyday while walking to class.

And apparently, Eastern students are choosing the grass.

According to Jon Collins, a staff member of the Maintenance-Grounds Operation at Eastern, students have been using the grass between the east side of Booth Library and the Life Science Building.

“Since the traffic has been blocked off by the north door of the Life Science Annex Building, students cannot use the angled sidewalk,” Collins said.

In fact, from 11:50 to 12 p.m. on Nov. 29, 21 students decided to cut through the grass compared to three students who decided to walk around the grass, and use the sidewalk.

“I don’t like the pass, but we won’t do anything until construction is over and then we will see what the traffic flow is like then,” Collins said.

The reason why students have worn down the grass between those two buildings is because of the construction of the new Doudna Fine Arts Center.

“It is scheduled to be substantially complete in the late fall of 2007,” said Steve Shrake, the manager of design and construction for Eastern. “Substantially complete does not mean that we can occupy it with faculty and students though. It will take some time to install all of the furniture and equipment in the building, check out mechanical systems, and give it a final clean.”

Shrake also added that the progress of Doudna has met expectations, but has not progressed as Eastern has wished.

“Every project has problems,” Shrake said. “Additions and renovation projects have more than new construction because there are more opportunities for unforeseen conditions. You find things underground that are not expected like utilities, abandoned drainage tile and bad soil. The contractor had a large crane that had an electrical fire, and it took several days to get it repaired, so setting of high steel was delayed and caused other tasks to also be delayed.”

Shrake said that once Doudna is built, it will be quicker for the students to get from Buzzard Hall to the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

As for the worn down grass recovering after Doudna is built, the future is unknown.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Collins said.