First published in Grey Panther, the official newsletter of the Retired and Emeriti Faculty Association of Chapman University

Detours! 

The orientation assistants for the freshman class in 2003 chose “Detours” for their theme.  Why?  Because for their next year, the center of campus was fenced off to finalize the most sweeping and ambitious building project in Chapman’s history.  Thanks to the vision of President Jim Doti, the dedicated work of EVP for Development Sheryl Bourgeois, the  committed support of the Board of Trustees, and the generosity of many donors, FOUR  buildings were being constructed all at the same time.  Which were they?

Oliphant Hall became the modernized addition to Bertea Hall to support the College of Performing Arts, specifically the Conservatory of Music.  The Hall was named in honor of Rachel “Toni” Oliphant, one of the Knott sisters, daughters of the founders of Knotts Berry Farm.  The building, designed by Los Angeles-based architectural firm AC Martin, would feature soundproof practice rooms, teaching rooms, a lecture hall, orchestral recital halls, and a lavish office for then Dean Bill Hall, complete with his grand piano.

 

The Leatherby Libraries was also designed by AC Martin, to occupy the same footprint as the former Thurmond Clarke Memorial Library, but  5 times larger.  Over 50 founding donors gave a total of $27 million to design and build the new library, named in honor of the Leatherby Family, especially the late Board of  Trustee member Ralph Leatherby and spearheaded by his daughter, Board member Joann Leatherby.  The library would feature nine distinct libraries representing the major disciplinary foci of Chapman’s research and teaching.  The library would include group  study rooms, a café, a terrace overlooking the athletic field, a large reading room with gallery walls, multimedia preview rooms for  state of the art access to digital information, plenty of room for physical and digital collections and computers, service centers to help students with their research needs, classrooms,  and a variety of seating throughout the 5 floors. With an emphasis on art exhibitions, lecture series, and special collections such as the Center for American War Letters, the Holocaust Memorial Library, and the Huell Howser Archives, the library attracted people throughout the campus and community.  Millions of people have visited the Leatherby Libraries since its founding.    The “Millennial Dean”, Charlene Baldwin, was part of the project from its inception.

The Fish Interfaith Center .  A chapel on campus had been the dream of the faith based communities at Chapman and the City of Orange for decades, and the Fish Interfaith Center with its  Sanctuary, Garden of the Senses, Columbarium, Meditation and Prayer Room, and Chapel finally realized that dream.  It was designed by David Martin of AC Martin, and named in honor of Merle and Marjorie Fish whose family remains committed to its success even to this day. The Dean of the Chapel, the Rev. Ron Farmer, shepherded the creation of  the Fish  Interfaith Center truly to become the welcoming home of all faiths, and a showcase of symbolic art.

Glass Hall.  To complete the swath of construction, and in order to meet Chapman’s  growing student population, Glass Residence Hall  was also under construction at the same time.  Named for  Jerrold and Jacqueline Glass, it would become the residence for first-year and continuing undergraduate students. The Hall would feature secure gated access, study rooms,  shaded courtyards, and modernized, safe, and functional residential spaces.  Dean of Students Joe Kertes shaped the vision for this new residence hall, also opened in 2004.

So, in the Fall of 2004, these buildings were completed and ready to open and welcome Chapman’s faculty, students, researchers, and the wider Chapman community.   How to celebrate this monumental achievement?  Each building offered separate dedications throughout the semester, but on homecoming weekend, 2004, a succession of events at each new facility welcomed everyone  to campus.  It was quite a success!

Now, here we are twenty years later, in the Fall of 2024, and we celebrate again. Each building, in its own way, will commemorate this anniversary.  The Library welcomed Pete the Panther to distribute cookies to hungry students.  The Fish Interfaith Center will dedicate a new dais   in the Wallace All-Faiths Chapel.  Oliphant Hall will welcome a new dean.  Glass Hall will start the  new freshman class on a path of academic success.  But, as in all things,  academic leadership changes,  However,  with the solid foundation these buildings provide, the commitment remains.

President Jim Doti is Emeritus and his successor, President Daniele Struppa has announced his retirement in 2025.  Former Dean of the Law School, Matt Parlow, has taken over the post of EVP of Development.  The Board of Trustees remains strong under its Chair, Parker Kennedy.

And what about the leadership of these 4 buildings…

Bill Hall retired, Guilio Ongaro took his place, and now he is retired, and we have a new Dean, Ann F. Hogan.

Founding Dean Charlene Baldwin retired Emerita  in 2021, and the former Associate Dean, Kevin Ross, has risen to the Deanship.

Ron Farmer, the founding Dean of the Wallace All Faiths Chapel of the Fish Interfaith Center retired, and the  Rev. Dr. Gail Stearns took the Fish Interfaith Center to a new level of commitment to ethics and spirituality, as well as diversity and inclusion. She retired Emerita, and her long-time associate, the Rev. Nancy Brink, has assumed the leadership as Executive Director of the Center.

Dean of Students Joe Kertes retired Emeritus, and Jerry Price has been the popular Dean of Students since 2008.

As a final note:  The Attallah Piazza was finalized a bit later and became the gathering place to bind these buildings together.  The Piazza features a majestic fountain with the  4 pillars of a Chapman education engraved on its 4 mighty monoliths.  These 4  buildings, that Detoured Chapman students for a brief moment in time,  now  solidly symbolize 3 of these pillars:  Intellectual, Spiritual, and Social.  What about the Physical pillar?  Well, as Chapman continues to grow, we have plenty of space to walk between and around and through our beautiful and functional campus buildings, built twenty years ago!!