Combining facilities in Harbor Hall has been a challenge for faculty.
Harbor Hall, previously the Salvador Dali Museum, became the new home to the Department of Verbal and Visual Arts in 2011. The plan for the building was to create a space for the merged programs of English and graphic design.
Professors were hoping for a single location where all of their students could come to learn, study and meet with their instructors.
“We really are itching to have some classroom space put in the building,” said Thomas Hallock, the Chair of Verbal and Visual Arts.
Instead, many students are still commuting back and forth between the Davis building, where a majority of the English classes are still located. Usable space for English courses within Harbor Hall is limited to the writing lab on the first floor.
All of the graphic design classes are held in Harbor Hall, but according to Hallock, as the program continues to grow the classes are beginning to overflow into the hallway.
After USF St.Petersburg took over the museum, it was renovated to encompass three classrooms and 25 small office spaces for teachers in the department. There are also two large rooms # the community and gallery rooms # inside the building. Combined, the two rooms comprise more than 8,000 square-feet.
However, these two rooms are still being used mainly as rental space by the Department of Student Services. Student Services was using the space during the construction and renovations of the University Student Center. Professors were under the impression that when the USC construction was complete, these rooms would be converted into classrooms and student workspaces.
Professors within the department believe these rooms would have a better impact on the program if the space was converted to fit the needs of the students.
Visiting art professor Erika Greenberg-Schneider recalls being denied access to the community room last spring for her senior students’ end of the year art show # a graduation requirement # because the room had been rented out for a yoga class.
“I stopped by to see how many people were there,” Schneider said. “There were only three people in the class.”
The university says they have been working on transforming the building to allow for more space, but it has been a very slow process, according to Hallock. Professors have continued to work with the campus development and hope to eventually receive assistance through state funding.
Other than the lack of space at Harbor Hall, security has been another concern. The walk to Harbor Hall is through Poynter Park, a public park located off Third Street S. Although new lights were installed in the park back in 2012, it is still a relatively dark walk along the harbor at night.
With Salvation Army located behind Harbor Hall and the building also being on the outskirts of campus, some students don’t feel safe walking alone at night. But according to university police services, students can request to be escorted to and from the building by an official.
The building remains locked when classes aren’t in session. Graphic design students have a swipe card to access the building, but English students do not. Hallock says he has been working since March to get them a card and no progress has been made.
“It’s been a very difficult battle to fight on behalf of my students,” said Hallock.
