Facilities Upgrades to West Quad, CUB Ballroom, and Plank’s Lower Level

October 24, 2024

Dear Campus Community,

I am so pleased to announce three significant facilities upgrades that will enrich our Gettysburg College experience for students, now and into the future. With the support of our Board of Trustees, the College is excited to pursue renovations of our West Quad residence halls, College Union Building (CUB) Ballroom, and Plank Gym’s lower level.

While the Plank project will be completed in the spring semester, we’ll begin construction on the West Quad and CUB Ballroom this May.

I’d encourage you to read about these new upgrades on the College website.

The facilities upgrades will offer our students an ideal environment to foster community and to form lifelong connections and memories—whether it is gathering with roommates in West Quad, attending a lecture delivered by a nationally renowned speaker in the Ballroom, or meeting new friends at Plank’s eatery and beer garden. The spaces are thoughtfully designed to inspire meaningful interactions, promote personal growth, and create a sense of belonging.

I want to offer a special thank you to the Board of Trustees; the members of our community who have shaped and will shape the evolving plans; and our Finance and Administration Division, specifically Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management Jim Biesecker and his dedicated team, who are making these important projects a reality.

The education we provide is as important as it has ever been, and the College is ambitiously meeting the moment. The faculty has recently passed two forward-looking majors; the comprehensive campaign has—in its early stages—set multiple records; our new Strategic Direction is boldly committed to readying students for an ever-changing future; and all of this builds on a wide range of other new initiatives and campus enhancements since the Strategic Direction’s launch in February 2023. Especially given the many changes and challenges confronting higher education, I hope you take great pride in all that we are accomplishing together.

I very much look forward to witnessing the transformation of these facilities in the months and years ahead!

Sincerely,

Bob Iuliano
President