As part of the largest project of its kind in recent years, University of Colorado at Boulder Facilities Management officials have invested $1.2 million to improve the appearance, comfortableness and overall maintainability of campus classroom facilities.
Carpeting, paint, new furniture and other upgrades were all part of the campus-wide Classroom Improvement Initiative implemented during the last year, according to Facilities Management Executive Director Jeff Lipton.
"These investments should make a long-lasting impact on the classroom experience of our students," Lipton said.
Funding for the upgrades was allocated last summer by the CU-Boulder chancellor's office. The initiative to improve the classroom experience for students was supported by Paul Tabolt, vice chancellor for administration, and the campus administration.
Specific improvements include:
o Re-carpeting of 92 classrooms, 43 building entryways, the Engineering Center lobby and Norlin Library's reading area and second-floor book stacks.
o Installation of 44 ceiling fans, mostly in buildings that have no central cooling systems.
o Furniture replacements, including 132 lecterns, 136 tables, 600 straight-back chairs and 1,000 tablet-arm chairs.
o Removal of outdated or damaged wall coverings in 25 classrooms.
o Re-painting of 50 classrooms, paint touch-ups in 130 other classrooms.
o Lighting upgrades where needed.
o And other general upgrades including new whiteboards, door kickplates, electrical switchplates, signs, doors and chair rails.
In addition to improved classroom equipment and facilities, the Facilities Management custodial staff prepared for returning students with extra sprucing up. Their efforts during the summer included:
o Deep-cleaning 258,911 square feet of classroom space, including more than 15,000 chairs and desktops and 378 blackboards.
o Removing 2,418 coffee and soda stains from classroom carpets.
o Cleaning more than 200 recycling stations near classrooms and building entrances.
o Shampooing, stripping and waxing the floors of 149 classrooms, projects that required more than 1,200 total hours of labor.
o And removing more than 23 pounds of chewing gum from the undersides of classroom desks.
Another five classrooms are scheduled for carpet and chair replacement over the winter break.
For more information about the CU-Boulder Facilities Management department, visit .