President Richard V. Hurley Interview
(Can you summarize your involvement with the HCC?)
-Well it goes back a ways to the point when I was the executive vice president chief financial officer here. I realized that, the university could benefit form a new academic building but the state regulations for such that if you didn’t use the space you had according to their formula, at their time frames then you weren’t eligible for new academic buildings. I figured out that buildings that focused on technology did not have a similar kind of requirement. So I started a conversation on campus to say “We need a new building, and the way to do it is to build a technology building. I cant say exactly when that was some time in 07’ 08’, from that point forward it was a matter of getting the appropriation through the state general assembly and the governor, I then had hands off once we formed the building committee and appointed all the different faculty members to work on the design.
(Are there any features that didn’t make it into the building?)
-I can’t remember any thing that we talked about that hasn’t happened. Its been a while but I think the building has turned out exactly how I envisioned it.
(How do you see the building used in 10 years?)
-You know its interesting about that is we and particularly me as president was worried about how the students would react to the building as we opened. Would they embrace it would they actually use it? it was a fear that wasn’t just shared by me, but I other people had the same curiosity. Fear might be a strong word but, turns out we are delighted to walk by the building and see students busy doing a variety of things inside the building. That makes me very happy that we have a place that students want to be in. Any building I think it will age well, this one we may have to pay more attention to then others because theres such use. The doors opening and closing and desks being used may require more matinees on the inside but I suspect that the other issue will be keeping the technology up to date, its very up to date now because its only two years old. But I can see in the future it will be a huge expense for the university say “its five years old.” My guess is five years is as far as we can push the technology, as long as we make sure we replace it on a regular interval.
(Any advice that you would like to give to Dr. Paino?)
-No I think as he as an experienced sitting president will be well versed in the use of this kind of building. He is the president elect of the council public liberal arts colleges. Which his school and Mary Wash are both members. He knows Jeff McClurken personal, Jeff has been to his campus. I have a feeling he will come in and hit the ground running as far as this building is concerned.
(How do you feel about having the HCC named after you?)
-Well, Its something I never would have dreamt about in a millions years something like this would ever happen and some of my family members are stunned. Hahaha, my wife told the board chairmen to ‘put the letters on the building in Velcro because I’m still alive.’ This means I have to be on my best behavior from now until the end (chuckle). Anyway its an unbelievable honor, it really is.
(Any lasts thoughts on the HCC?)
-I believe it is one of the most handsome buildings on campus, really really well designed, just beautiful. Picked up many of the architectural features you can find on other prats of the campus. How they positioned it here adjust to Simpson, and avoiding the little stream out back with the curve of the building I think is really neat and I think it is strikingly beautify and I am really proud to have my name on it.