The College of Liberal Arts at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette may not be housed in H.L. Griffin Hall much longer.
Dr. Jordan Kellman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said that soon, the liberal arts college will be located somewhere else on campus.
Although the new location is undecided, Kellman said that moving the college is high on the university’s priority list. It is not determined if the College of Liberal Arts will be housed in an existing building on campus or if a new structure will be built.
The College of Nursing is switching locations shortly. The university recently acquired 19.2 acres previously owned by Our Lady of Lourdes near campus. Soon, the nursing program will be housed there, leaving Wharton Hall empty.
There is some speculation that Wharton Hall will house the College of Liberal Arts after the nursing program moves, but the speculation has not been confirmed.
Kellman said that after the liberal arts college is moved, Griffin Hall will be used as temporary housing for other programs on campus that need a space. Eventually, Griffin Hall will be demolished and a green space will take the place of what was formerly Griffin Hall.
Built in 1972, Griffin Hall has housed the College of Liberal Arts at UL Lafayette for over 50 years, since the building’s existence. It’s named for Harry L. Griffin, a long time dean of the College of Liberal Arts who worked at UL Lafayette for nearly four decades.
Housing a diverse group of majors such as philosophy, psychology and anthropology, a diverse group of students makes up the college. According to the college’s website, over 500 students graduated from the liberal arts college last year.
“We pride ourselves on preparing the best thinkers, speakers, writers, and doers in Louisiana,” according to the website. “Our students and alumni think beyond boundaries and push the limits of their profession in new and exciting ways.”
Often, students cite issues with Griffin Hall due to the age of the building and the steep flights of stairs students have to climb to attend some classes.
Some students have dubbed the hall “Mount Griffin” as a result. The university’s official Instagram has even referred to the building using the nickname.
Students on campus welcomed the change in location.
Charles DeLaughter, a junior majoring in history, said that he is ambivalent to the relocation of the College of Liberal Arts.
“I don’t care, but I guess not having to climb five flights of stairs would be nice,” DeLaughter said.
Cydney Theard, a junior majoring in criminal justice, welcomes the change. Theard said that issues with air conditioning have caused one of her professors to cancel class often this semester. She said that, as a result, the class has been on their own for most of the semester.
“I think it’d be nice for them to build new, like, classrooms, a new section to have classrooms,” Theard said. “There are a lot of problems with this building.”
Lindsey Croall attended UL Lafayette nearly two decades ago but still remembers climbing the stairs to attend classes on the fifth floor of Griffin Hall.
Croall said that the eventual demolition of Griffin Hall is bittersweet, as having to climb the stairs for early morning classes is a rite of passage for UL Lafayette students. She also said that she is glad the facilities are being updated for future students.
Although the exact timeline is still unknown, it is expected that plans for the relocation will be finalized soon.