Upon returning to campus for the spring semester, many Pitt students were outraged to see that more construction had begun on main campus. The construction not only disturbs students living in residences close to construction zones, but also slows down the flow of traffic on daily commutes to class. Construction is a large part of living in a city, but the projects on campus seem never-ending. So, a few students reached out to the administration about these issues. In the email published to the University, the students wrote:
“As students of the University of Pittsburgh, we understand that construction is necessary to keep our buildings up and running; however, the constant construction on campus has led to a distracting environment. Pitt is known well for its beautiful campus and impressive architecture, but with the constant repairs — which seem far too drawn out — the beauty of our campus is being withheld. In addition, the inconvenience the construction causes to both students and staff is astonishing. Navigating to class is now much more difficult, and classes are more frequently being interrupted by loud construction noises. Many students find it difficult to sleep as construction near their dorms starts very early. That is why we, the students of the University of Pittsburgh, would like to know what the real goal of this construction is and when it will be complete.”
After roughly two weeks with no response, Tamara Buttons, head of the University of Pittsburgh’s Construction Division, finally responded with only this:
