Over the summer, workers were busy renovating some of the most beloved learning and gathering spaces on campus. While some projects will continue through the fall semester, renovations to Gorman Lecture Center, a Haggerty Science Center lab, residence halls, and the Maher Athletic Center were completed and ready for students to enjoy at the start of classes.

Gorman classrooms A, B and C, home to many Core classes, were furnished with new carpet, chairs, lighting and desks, while HSC biology lab 108 benefited from new lab stations, lighting, cabinets and floors. 

“These beautification projects are tangible signs of progress toward fulfilling our calling to be the best liberal arts university in the country,” said President Jonathan J. Sanford, PhD. “I’m deeply grateful to the generosity of donors who stepped forward, and for all of those involved in making these improvements a reality, as they will greatly enhance the campus experience for our students, faculty and staff.”

New bleachers were installed in the Maher Athletic Center, and residents of Clark Hall were welcomed with new furniture, mattresses and carpet throughout. The lounge area on the lower level of Theresa Hall also received a major makeover with a new community kitchen and new furniture. 

Funded by donor gifts, capital funds and investment earnings, the new renovations are the fruit of a yearlong effort to visibly enhance the student experience as part of a long-range campus master plan to serve the president’s “North Star” vision for growth. Improvements to the Gorman Faculty Lounge are still underway, and a second phase of improvements to Gorman are in the works.

A special dedication ceremony of the science lab, to be named after beloved biology professor Frank Doe, PhD, is planned for Sept. 28 during the annual Alumni and Family Weekend celebration.

According to Executive Director of Facilities and Capital Projects Scott Bates, the improvements were chosen after multiple listening sessions and focus groups during the last academic year, a careful effort to gather input from students, faculty, staff and trustees about the facilities needs and improvements, here in Irving and in Rome.

“Students expressed their desire to maintain the traditional culture at the campus, which translated into our approach to some renovations,” Bates added. “For example, rather than replace the existing wooden desks in the Gorman Lecture Halls with more modern and sterile-looking laminate, the existing wooden desks were refurbished. While the traditional aesthetic was kept, we were also able to modernize the technology by installing new energy efficient LED lighting systems and new power modules for the desks.”

Haggar Student Center

Construction in the Haggar Student Center will continue through the fall semester and is expected to be completed by the spring. The campus bookstore, operated by Follett, was also relocated near the west entrance of Haggar Student Center, a move that brings more visibility for UDallas merch to the Mall, while the Office of Student Life moved from the second floor to the more visible center suite of Haggar.

Not only will the former bookstore area offer more seating and places to gather, but there will also be more grab-and-go food options with a pair of rotating food features. No doubt students and campus employees seeking parking permits or ID badges have noticed the new location for the University of Dallas Police Department in the Fishbowl. The area formerly occupied by UDPD will be transformed into private dining spaces, accessible to faculty and staff to host outside guests for a meal.

The Office of Undergraduate Admission moved to the first floor of Cardinal Farrell Hall, now more accessible to visitors and future Crusaders from the main parking lot off of Northgate Drive. 

The beloved Cap Bar remains in operation in the same location, now with an expanded pastry case and a second espresso machine to expedite service during busy class transition periods. The student center renovations are mostly funded through a capital investment made by Aramark, the university’s food services provider; however, one key project was fueled by alumni and donors who have a passion for Rome.

Thanks to a donor who stepped forward to challenge alumni with a matching gift during the Cor Challenge fundraising drive last spring, a 1,200-pound concrete and brick pizza oven, sourced from an Italian manufacturer by alumnus and restaurateur David Lamberti, BA ’01, was installed via crane on the Rathskeller patio over the summer, giving students a chance to enjoy a little taste of the Due Santi dolce vita in Irving. All Romers fondly recall the forno of Due Santi as a highlight of their semester in the Eternal City.

It is hoped that during the summer of 2025, renovations to the Rathskeller, inside and out, will continue, with the goal of making the space more conducive to the type of music-filled convivial gatherings generations of UDallas students have enjoyed.

Additional Enhancements Behind the Scenes

Maintaining mid-century buildings and infrastructure continues to be a challenge, especially when energy demands swing in response to weather. Significant investments were made over the summer to replace air conditioning equipment in Clark Hall, as well as to fix a major leak that stopped air conditioning throughout campus prior to the start of the school year. New security cameras were also installed in key entry/exit points of the residence halls and main academic buildings; future security updates include new card-swipe locks in the residence halls.