Photo Credit: The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum

In addition to the opening of Claremont McKenna College’s new Kravis Center, this summer saw a complete renovation of the Athenaeum by IA Interior Architects thanks to a $4.5 million allotment by the Board of Trustees. The building had not been renovated since its opening in 1983 and had only experienced one carpet change until its complete infrastructural and design makeover this summer.  Needless to say, the time had come for a facelift, and a significant one at that.

The plan, first discussed in a 2009 trustee meeting, was put into motion on commencement day of last year, and the building was ready to use just before the Parents Dinner on August 25th, 2011. Athenaeum manager David Edwards hopes the renovations will “bring a sleek, new look” and update the structure with which the building was originally created.

The renovation focused on design, technology, and energy use, explained Frank Perri, CMC’s Director of Construction. The design component is immediately visible in the building’s new furnishings, which include three new flat screen TV’s, custom designed chairs in the dining hall, new carpets, limestone floors, and an increase in the number of chandeliers in the dining room from 4 to 24.

The Athenaeum now features completely refurbished bathrooms with automated systems; a gas fireplace in the library; a completely new kitchen line including a new freezer, dishwasher, and refrigerator; increased wireless capacity; and improved acoustics thanks to a new AV system and the installation of transparent acoustic enhancing cloth in the lobby and dining rooms. Hinges were added to the large window in the dining hall, allowing them pivot and open the room to the quad outdoors.

Photo Credit: The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum

Energy conservation was a large part of the decisions made in the Athenaeum renovation.  The new kitchen appliances save energy to be sure, but three flat screen TVs and a gas fireplace can’t help much on the energy expenditure front.  Each of the 24 new chandeliers in the main dining room have Energy Star and energy efficient certifications, making them an environmentally-friendly addition to the renovation. The building is now air conditioned by the Kravis Center, which pumps chilled water that also feeds the air conditioning systems for Roberts North and South, Adams Hall, and the Emmett Student Center. The roof’s rotted wood was replaced and harvested where possible to make way for a foam roof that acts as both a waterproof cover and an insulator. A composter was added to the kitchen, and the bathrooms have been remodeled with water efficient and low flow sinks.

The new Ath is refurbished, modernized, and ready for another year of speakers and students. With input from the board of trustees, the student Athenaeum committee, and Athenaeum employees, the final project is, as Perri puts it, one of which “everyone involved is proud.” A world class facility for world class speakers.

Want more of the Athenaeum? Check out the full Fall Speaker List for the Fall of 2011. For more information about the Athenaeum or to place reservations, please visit their website.

A Diversity of Speakers at the Athenaeum
Over the past three years, the Athenaeum has hosted an incredible line up of speakers including Bill Clinton, Antonin Scalia, Mitt Romney, Bono, Anderson Cooper, Karl Rove, Michael Chertoff, and Jesse Jackson. This semester the Athenaeum has hosted many interesting speakers, but the lineup does not include a headline speaker on the level of previous semesters possibly indicating that the Athenaeum budget had been cut.

Renovations to the Athenaeum this summer will only be in the interior of the building, but will be substantial, the Development Office said.

Athenaeum Director Bonnie Snortum explained that the Athenaeum budget has in fact remained fairly stable over the past five years despite the recession. She pointed out that compared to other colleges and universities during the recession, the Athenaeum has maintained an impressive schedule of speakers, including headliners such as Michael Eisner and Andrew Ross Sorkin.

She highlighted speakers like Jhumpa Lahiri, Frank Deford, and Matthew Crawford who have appeared at the Athenaeum this semester, who while they may not be famous in politics or the news media, are leading figures in their fields. Diversity in subjects of speakers is key.

“My philosophy in using Athenaeum resources is that departments ought to each get their fair share. We can’t focus on one department to the exclusion of others,” Snortum said.

Diversity in subjects and departments will continue next semester at the Athenaeum. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzhad, poet Louise Gluck, paleontologist Louise Leakey, historian Gary Wills, and author Mark Bauerlein (The Dumbest Generation) are sure to be some of the highlights.

Clearly the Athenaeum has maintained a complete schedule this semester and has brought interesting speakers. Yet, a look at the Athenaeum “Wall of Fame” over the past several years indicates a clear emphasis on bringing very big names in the political arena. Even though the Athenaeum maintains that its budget and mission have not changed, the lack of a headline political speaker either this semester or seemingly next semester raises questions about if the Athenaeum is changing its emphasis away from politics.

A Revised Madrigal Returns
Only current seniors and juniors can still remember any version of Madrigal at the Athenaeum, one of the few traditions at CMC. For over twenty years, the Athenaeum would host the “Madrigal Feast” in December where students would gather at the Athenaeum for a special medieval feast accompanied by a holiday concert. While the specifics of the event varied somewhat each year, Madrigal included a several course meal served to students by Athenaeum workers in medieval outfits while the students enjoyed a concert by the Scripps Choir (more recently the Claremont Shades). The entire Athenaeum was decorated specially for the event with an elaborate stage up front, medieval banners on the walls, and candles and poinsettias on every table. Festive holiday drinks such as wassail in commemorative glasses for students to take home accompanied the meal. Every year groups of students would rush to reserve a table at the highly popular event. Unfortunately, over time the event began to get out of hand due to a few unruly students, and it was canceled by the Athenaeum.

Determined not to allow one of the only CMC traditions to die, this year ASCMC is bringing back the holiday event at the Athenaeum, only under a new format and new name. On Tuesday, December 7th and Wednesday, December 8th, ASCMC, the Athenaeum, and Under the Lights will jointly host “Not so Silent Night,” a murder mystery play and dinner. The event will feature several of the features of Madrigal, such as a special four course feast, holiday decorations, and festive drinks. The name of the event had to be changed as the term “Madrigal” refers to a specific type of music and the event will not feature a choir or music. Instead, Under the Lights—the Claremont drama group—will perform a murder mystery play that will involve a high level of audience interaction. People in the audience will use the clues provided by the actors to catch the murderer in the play.

ASCMC and the Athenaeum are working closely together to ensure a successful event that can be repeated in the future. When asked about the canceling of Madrigal, Athenaeum Director Bonnie Snortum stated that she did not regret canceling Madrigal as it was “inevitable” because it “could not stay true to its original form.” She expressed, however, a high level of confidence in ASCMC to make the new event a success on all fronts.

A Needed Renovation Project
While physically the Athenaeum currently serves its purpose, almost no one would deny that it is somewhat dated and in need of a renovation. Fortunately, there is one slated to begin this summer. While currently still in the planning stages, the renovation is not intended to include any major construction but instead to modernize and retrofit the current interior of Athenaeum.

The largest changes will include improving the sound, lighting, and camera equipment in the main speaker room. The Athenaeum will get new furniture and lighting to give it a more modern look. The exterior doors of the main room facing the North (towards the Hub) will open onto a small patio. Practical maintenance such as fixing the roof, updating the kitchen, and replacing the doors are also part of the plan.

Overall the goal is not to change the atmosphere or purpose of the Athenaeum but simply to make it more comfortable and modern.

Everyone will clearly enjoy the renovations at the Athenaeum and “Not So Silent Night” that, if successful, will hopefully become an annual tradition.  However, the lack of a major political speaker in the Athenaeum lineup, if it continues over the next few semesters, could change the overall direction of the Athenaeum and frustrate students who have come to expect a major political speaker almost every semester.