Todd Wehr Will Undergo Renovation

With the Miriam B. and James J. Mulva Library scheduled to open in the fall 2009, many members of the St. Norbert College community are wondering: what will happen to the Todd Wehr Library?The Wehr Library, originally built as a residential hall, will house offices and services that are currently scattered across SNC's campus.

"A student service one-stop shop is a current best practice that we are excited about implementing here at SNC," said Eileen Jahnke, vice president for business and finance and chair of the campus master planning committee.

Jahnke added, "A seamless and integrated experience in the student service center will further assist students in the management of their education.

The first floor of the Todd Wehr building will hold well-frequented offices to care for the practical needs of students, including the offices of Financial Aid, Payroll, and the Registrar, as well as the Bookstore.

The move of the Registrar, Financial Aid and Payroll, all currently housed in the Dr. John R. Minahan Science Hall, will allow for a future renovation of this building and its sole use for the natural science labs, classrooms and offices.

On the second floor of the renovated Wehr building, the Finance Office will be located, along with community-oriented offices, such as those for Campus Ministry and the College Parish which are now located in the Pennings Activities Center (PAC).

The third floor will house services like Academic Support Services and Career Services, as well as classroom space and a staff lounge.

According to a memo sent out by the Campus Master Planning Committee in March, the Todd Wehr building renovation is scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2010.

The new renovations will mark the third identity of the Todd Wehr building, a distinction held by other on-campus buildings, such as Boyle Hall, which has also been a library and a residence hall in its past life.

The age of the Wehr building does raise a few concerns in terms of renovation, as Jahnke explained, "We are not anticipating any specific difficulties with the renovation, but we are aware that the building is over 40 years old."

If all goes as planned, students can expect "a one-stop shop which will gather many of the services students may need in one easy, central location," concluded Jahnke.