Year of changes

One word to describe the 2011-2012 academic year: change. Students have seen the beginning of outsourcing at the University level, rallied with GOP candidate Ron Paul, dodged traffic cones around construction on Wellborn Road and taken a nap in a newly renovated Memorial Student Center.

Construction

From building face-lifts to road construction projects on and around the Texas A&M campus, this year has been privy to construction.

There were five construction projects that characterized the year: the Wellborn Road Grade Separation Project, the College of Veterinary Medicine Building, the new Liberal Arts & Humanities Building and two recently completed projects, the Memorial Student Center and Blue Bell Park.

The $34 million Wellborn Road Grade Separation Project that has forced Wellborn traffic into a daily bottleneck started Nov. 11 and is scheduled to be finished August 2013.

The purpose of the project is to eliminate the hazards of crossing the tracks and Wellborn Road by local University vehicular traffic and pedestrians, said Bill Scott, construction project manager for the A&M System. [It] will consist of two underpasses running parallel and adjacent to the existing Old Main Drive.

On Dec. 16, 2010, the University broke ground on a new Liberal Arts & Humanities Building.

Its nice that A&M is expanding for liberal arts, when it is usually known as a science and engineering University, said Adriana Gramsas, sophomore psychology major.

The Olsen Field project was a planned strategy for the renovation of the Texas A&M baseball facilities. Olsen Field served Texas A&M baseball for the past 31 years. The new baseball facility was named Blue Bell Park after Texas A&M former students and Blue Bell creameries pledged a $7 million gift to the 12th Man Foundations Championship Vision capital campaign for the renovation and expansion of Olsen Field.

Parker Ray, pitcher for the Aggie baseball team and junior sports management major, said Blue Bell Park is the best facility in the country.

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Year of changes