On Friday, Oct. 9, E.B. Evans building, which housed the agriculture department, was abruptly closed by the administration for at least eighteen months after being used for fifty-eight continuous years.
Since the released discussion about the building being taken away, students within the college have raised questions about whether or not the university appreciates them and what should be their next step as students.
“It is not the administrations intent to take the ‘A’ out of Prairie View A&M University. We did not single out Ag,” said Dr. Michael McFrazier, associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs.
E.B. Evans was chosen to be closed for numerous reasons including lack of used space and maintenance issues.
“We did a survey of what would best meet the needs at this time and the decision to close E.B. Evans was a tough one but it was one that we had to make as we are working to expand our enrollment here at PVAMU and to fulfill some requirements that are set on us,” said McFrazier.
Educators themselves were informed in a short time frame of the building closing. Dr. Wash Jones, professor and MANNRS advisor said he was notified sometime in September.
Jones said that the explanation was based on the relationship of students and the square footage of the university.
According to McFrazier, there was a space surplus because the university has not fully utilized the space of the buildings that we do have.
“I’m not against the decision. I was just upset that it is in the middle of the semester, right before midterms,” said Demetrius Reed, a junior agriculture major.
Now that students no longer have an academic department home, they are back and forth between the naval science, juvenile justice, architecture, and Banks building and they now feel detached from each other.
“Based on feedback from the students, they feel disconnected because they feel they don’t have a home. Everyone wants a place to call home,” said Jones.
Students are concerned that without a separate building, activities such as recruitment may be greatly affected.
“I’m not sure how much of an impact this has on the college as a whole. I guess a lot depends on how much is emphasized to prospective students,” said Jones.
McFrazier adds that because of the great diversity within the College of Agriculture and Human Science, there should be many interested future students.
“Ag touches all of our lives. Students will come and look at them as a viable option. There are so many lucrative careers in Ag,” said Jones.
PVAMU staff is encouraging students to look at the situation as one that is not entirely negative.
“I think it will present opportunities for them to come together in ways through adversity and challenge comes triumph. I hope that they will see it in that way,” McFrazier said.
Students continue to have access to the cooperative agriculture research center where the department head, secretary, professors, and student advisement currently takes place. The computer lab is also still available and has the latest software for the necessary research the students need.
McFrazier said that E.B. Evans could eventually come back as a result of an increase in enrollment.
“We definitely see their value and want to continue to promote who they are,” said McFrazier.
The E.B. Evans Animal Industries Building was completed in 1951, and according to Dr. Freddie Richards, the dean of the college of agriculture & human sciences, the building is completely out dated.