Returning students whose workloads have already demanded a trip to the library might have been met with a pleasant surprise.

The front lobby of Hege Library emerged from this past summer with a refreshing facelift. After visitors and staff are whisked through the pair of ethereal automatic sliding doors, they are greeted by a seating area and renovated front desk made all the more inviting by the soothing color theme.

“(It’s a) fresh, more current, updated look, and certainly a better usage of space,” said Anna Ray of Access Services.

“Fresh” and “better usage of space” were both recurring motifs in the many changes that have occurred on campus since last spring. Some of the most dramatic changes are noticeable in Hege Library, the offices and Alumni Gym of the P.E. Center, the dining hall, and the new Community Centec concert space.

Jonathan Varnell, vice president for administration, played a key role in many of the recent projects. He described two of the most important objectives of any campus construction project to be furthering the “goal of the building” and “code and stylistics.” He provided the cafeteria’s new set-up as an example, where changes were made to adjust to new health codes as well as to better suit the functionality of the space.

Varnell also emphasized that most of the work done since last spring is not noticeable to the untrained eye. Guilford’s hidden underbelly received attention, especially the extensive networks of plumbing, heating, and cooling systems throughout all of campus.

These improvements further lower Guilford’s carbon footprint and, according to Varnell, indirectly contributed to the success of the programs and people within these buildings.

“Our job is to make their programs better,” Varnell said.

Almost all areas of campus may have been tweaked in some way, but Hege Library, the P.E. Center, the Dining Hall, and the Community Center concert space show the most noticeable renovations.

This observation prompts the question: amid the school’s limited resources, why did these buildings in particular receive treatment?

According to Varnell, the selection system is based on many factors. For example, converting the former game room into a concert space was driven by student participation and was 80 percent funded by Community Senate.

Another systematic approach is the Facility Condition Index (FCI), which rates the condition of areas on campus based on multiple factors including aesthetics, energy usage, the potential of the space, and even whether it is listed on the National Historic Register.

Although energy and resources may be generated directly to one building and department, the effects are meant to contribute to all aspects of Guilford.

Mike Merkel, P.E. Center facilities manager, believes that the recent changes in his department will exponentially benefit the campus as a whole, citing the “biggest testament” of all the renovations as the more than 100 percent increase in visitors to the P.E. Center since renovations began. This does not include visits from athletic teams and participants in physical education classes.

Merkel stressed that the official name “P.E. Center” is telling of what the establishment contributes to the school’s community.

“‘Center’ means there is a lot going on,” Merkel said.

Recent renovations have encouraged a diverse crowd to visit the P.E. Center, such as the indoor soccer players that now frequent the now-tolerable air-conditioned climate of the Alumni Gym. Even the colors of the freshly renovated offices were carefully chosen not to be purely Guilford-related, but more neutral and inviting to those less involved in the school’s athletics.

The re-vamped areas of campus will undoubtedly enhance the school’s appearance for marketing the school. However, areas that are less likely to be graced by briefly visiting potential students are not exempt from needing improvement. Ray expresses many concerns about Hege Library, especially the need for repaired shelves in almost all sections.

Unfortunately, these early semester library-goers might notice that once they pass through the posh new lobby, change is not as evident.