Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
In today’s Pioneer article [Campus Construction, Sept. 23, 2010] there is mention that Warren Hall is to be abated, several floors removed and the remaining structure strengthened. This is the same message the Pioneer printed in February 2005 in the Pioneers article, Lopping the Top: Warren Hall to get more than a facelift, by Michelle Morales, the promise of former president Norma Rees was that Warren Hall would be made safe within three to four years.
As it now transpires the emergency funds of $31 million granted in 2004 for making Warren Hall safe were used in the construction of the new administration building. Do we have a guarantee that this time retrofit funds that are presumably already secured will not be diverted again?
To clarify the current situation Warren Hall is not empty. Students still test, faculty teach and a couple of hundred faculty and staff work full time in Warren Hall. Yes, people are still here and the building is not even remotely safe. As Shawn Bibb states in today’s Pioneer article (September 23,2010),” Warren Hall is too close to the Hayward fault. As Jim Zavagno states “Because it was built more than 40 years ago Warren Hall is not up to current seismic standards.”
According to Shawn Bibb Warren Hall is scheduled to be deconstructed soon and brought into current seismic code. Does soon mean next month or should we expect another five years to pass today’s Pioneer article with no action? Or perhaps ten years as has already passed since the 2001 Pioneer article Warren Hall, Library Need Seismic Retrofit?
I sincerely hope that soon as defined by Bibb means tomorrow. If not, perhaps our extrication from Warren Hall could be managed before it is too late. When the Hayward fault had an earthquake in 1868 thirty people were left dead. Major quakes for this fault happen on average every 140 years meaning we were overdue a large quake as of 2008.
Warren Hall is quite simply too dangerous to be occupied, so why is it still being used?
WE ARE HERE, WE ARE HERE, WE ARE HERE! (Apologies to Dr. Seuss and his classic Horton Hears a Who.)
