The beginnings of a new building and a new blog

A few weeks ago Governor Gary Herbert came and signed a bill that’s going to make our new building a reality. There were speeches and lots of gratitude was expressed. Everyone posed for pictures when the official signing took place and I’m now wondering, will those pictures end up in a display case in the new building someday as historical artifacts? I believe we witnessed a bit of history unfolding.

It was a great day to celebrate and I’m sure there were some people who wondered why we didn’t go right over to the site of the new building with golden shovels and get to work. That’s where I come in.

It’s going to be my job to help us all figure out what we should be putting into this new building that will be nearly 100,000 square feet. Sound simple?

This might be a good time for me to share the toilet-paper story. An employee came into my office just days after the signing to say that he has an unusual item on his bucket list. He wants to rise to a position of such influence that he will be able to select the kind of toilet paper dispensers that go into a new building.

Apparently, he’s been bugged once too many times by malfunctioning gizmos that withhold toilet paper at the very moment it is needed.

I had to explain that such decisions will fall under the purview of USU Facilities. My focus will be of a more academic nature. I think it is a foreshadowing, however, of what is to come as we entertain ideas, study out the possibilities and figure out exactly what kinds of classes, resources and meeting rooms will be needed in the new building. Everyone is going to have ideas about what our new home should include. The process, done properly, takes months.

As that work unfolds, I intend to keep you updated via this new blog I am starting. And I want to hear from you. I’m guessing many of you will have a lot to say.

I just hope that no one else comes to me with toilet paper issues again.

Ken Snyder