The five faculty members of St. Bonaventure University's history department executed a daring maneuver with military-like precision Thursday night into Friday morning. The faculty remade a classroom in Plassmann Hall, seen here in this file photo, into their new offices.
Several classes were canceled at St. Bonaventure University Friday after the history department faculty spent the overnight hours remaking a former Plassmann Hall classroom into their new offices.
“The Registrar’s Office is scrambling to make room and scheduling changes for the six or so Clare College classes that utilized Plassmann 101,” said Colton Crosswire, university spokesman. “However, the president, provost and dean have no comment on the history department’s actions at this time other than to say they wish this could have been done more diplomatically.”
The history department, part of the School of Arts and Sciences, had been the only academic department with offices located in Doyle Hall, which is used primarily as a residence hall for upperclassmen and is also home to the University Chapel.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Roger Hatfield, the department’s chair, said triumphantly from his new office, part of the room formerly known as Plassmann 101. “We’d been banished to Doyle Hall for years and finally got fed up with walking that distance to classes every day.”
The department executed the risky strategic maneuver with military-like precision all Thursday through 6 a.m. Friday, Hatfield said (approximate timeline provided below).
“All day Thursday, our faculty was slowly and cautiously boxing up things in their offices and putting them by the chapel door in Doyle,” Hatfield said. “If anyone asked what we were doing, we told them the university needed to do some emergency asbestos abatement and all our stuff needed to be out by that night.”
John Geddis, associate professor, said the department had petitioned the Faculty Senate, the administration and the School of Arts and Sciences for several years to have their offices moved closer to or inside Plassmann Hall, where most history classes are held. No action was ever taken.
“At some point, I guess, you have to just take things into your own hands,” Geddis said. “I’m sorry to the professors and students in the classes we’ve displaced with our new offices, but the history department is finally in Plassmann where it belongs.”
Senior history major Ginny Winslow said she supported her professors’ actions.
“I always thought it was weird that their offices were all the way over in Doyle,” Winslow said. “Oh, and I was in one of those canceled Clare classes so I’m happy about that, too.”
Hatfield said more work needed to be done before the offices were finished.
“As you can see right now, we only have up cubicle-style partitions, but the five of us have plans to spend a few weekends in here to put up some drywall and paint and stuff,” Hatfield said, looking around his new digs while reclining in his large leather desk chair. “This place definitely has potential. We’re thinking of putting a minibar in the corner.”
Approximate Timeline for History Department’s Daring Overnight Maneuver
Professor Roger Hatfield, the history department chair, provided the sequence of events that led to new offices for him and his four colleagues.
- All day Thursday | Faculty slowly empty offices, piling everything in Doyle Hall north entrance, explain to anyone who asks that the university is preparing for emergency asbestos abatement. No suspicion is raised.
- 6 p.m. | Rented moving truck parks in loop outside Doyle Hall north entrance, faculty load boxes, desks and chairs into it.
- 6:30 to 10 p.m. | Truck parked in Walmart parking lot, followed by a faculty outing, including light dinner at Applebee’s and a screening of He’s Just Not That Into You at Carmike Cinemas.
- 10 p.m. | Faculty don all-black clothing and back truck up to Plassmann Hall Annex entrance. Boxes, desks, chairs removed from truck by four professors while Rita Kendall, assistant professor, keeps watch.
- 10:17 p.m. | Truck moved to obscure parking lot near baseball field. Plassmann 101 windows covered. Classroom tables and chairs deposited in Plassmann 100. John Geddis, associate professor, uses amateur locksmithing skills to change door lock. Quick check of classroom crucifix to make sure it doesn’t really contain a camera or microphone.
- 10:47 p.m. | Boxes, desks and chairs begin to be moved to Plassmann 101.
- 11:14 p.m. | Everything moved in, door locked, temporary sound-dampening foam installed.
- 11:48 p.m. | Faculty celebration, complete with bottle of champagne.
- 12:22 a.m., Friday | Temporary cubicle partitions installed, offices claimed.
- 12:39 a.m. to 6 a.m. | Faculty move into new offices.
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