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The Effects of OnCampus Construction
While some students may find the current construction to be a nuisance, others look
forward to having a newly renovated campus. Though there are many different views on the
issue, most would agree that the construction has created difficulties in terms of student and
faculty commutes to class. Thus, the main goal of this project was to determine whether the
oncampus construction at San Jose State University had more advantages or disadvantages.
In order to determine the most accurate results, interviews were conducted on a total of three
different people. All interviews included the same questions and were constructed in the most
unbiased way possible. Doing so assisted me in seeing the situation from completely different
perspectives, allowing me to have a greater understanding of the situation.
The Group Most Affected by the Construction
While exploring this topic, there were several aspects to take into consideration. For
instance, it was important to explore the list of different groups affected by the construction. All
three interviewees agreed that although many groups of people were affected, the construction
had the greatest impact on the students. According to Environmental Studies Department Chair
Dr. Lynne Trulio, the reason for this is because the construction has caused for the school to
become more crowded than before and as a result, it takes a greater amount of time for students
to get around.
Not only are students and faculty members required to take longer routes, but the
congestion and squeezing of people can also lead to accidents. This possibility especially applies
to those who ride bikes or skateboards around campus. This is due to the fact that it is more
difficult for those students to pass through crowded areas, considering the fact that their bikes
and boards may be cumbersome. According to student Gabriel Powers, there are even ways in
which the construction can negatively affect one’s grade. “As I took my usual route to class one
day, I came to discover that a new area had been blocked off. Because of this, I had no other
option but to take the long way, which caused me to barely miss a fivepoint participation quiz at
the beginning of class” (2015).
Not only does the construction affect students in terms of punctuality, but it can
potentially intrude with their ability to learn. For instance, a few weeks ago, a group of
classmates and I were walking towards the Student Union to work on a class project. As we
walked, I noticed that there was construction going on behind the blue walls that block off the
old Student Union. Although I was unable to see exactly what was going on, the sounds of the
tools being used were loud enough to be a distraction for me and anyone else in the
area–– especially for those who, like us, were studying or working on homework. Because of this
distraction, we were unable to focus on our work and had to continue the project elsewhere. Like
us, several other students also complained about the rowdiness and left to a place where there
was more silence.
Other groups affected by the construction.
Although it is evident that students are the most affected group, there are other groups
affected by the construction as well. Dr. Trulio mentioned how community members also feel the
impact of these measures. This includes dogwalkers, local residents, and, in general, anyone
who may enjoy walking around the SJSU campus. However, there is also another group affected
by the construction that several people tend to forget about–– the squirrels. At the beginning of
last semester, there were several things that seemed different about SJSU. One of those things
was the drastic change in the amount of squirrels roaming on campus. Personally I could not
determine the reason for such a change. I later realized that we were also missing a great number
of trees that were once planted on campus. It was then that I discovered that that was the primary
cause for the reduced number of squirrels. It is likely that the chopping down of trees resulted in
the destruction of habitats. Curious about whether or not other people have also noticed this, I
decided to bring up the subject during each of my interviews.
My first interviewee, Environmental Studies major Gabriel Powers, did not notice this
until after I had pointed it out. However, he did agree that there has been a change in the squirrel
population size since the construction began. My second interviewee, Dr. Lynne Trulio, on the
other hand, was knowledgeable in this area. Trulio, who jokingly referred to herself as the
“squirrel expert” graduated from University of California, Davis with a Ph.D. in ecology. I found
this interview to be especially beneficial considering the fact that she has done research in the
past that investigates the behavioral ecology of squirrels. She explained to me how it is in fact
likely that the construction has caused for there to be a change in the squirrel population on
campus. From our interview, I found out that not just construction workers, but maintenance
workers at San Jose State often times kill squirrels. However, I also learned that not all squirrels
have been affected. Whether or not they are affected depends on their species. I also learned that
there are three different species of squirrels here at San Jose State– fox squirrels , gray squirrels,
and ground squirrels.
Exploring different perspectives.
My third interviewee, Bruce Wallace, assisted me in seeing the situation from a
perspective completely different than of my own, Dr. Trulio’s, or Gabriel’s. Currently, Bruce
works for Graniterock, a construction company that has supplied concrete and asphalt for a few
of the projects on campus. Not only that, but he also works with maintenance at San Jose State.
As a result, he has been participating in the construction process on campus. Because of this, I
foun my interview with him to be the most informative of the three. Hearing things from the
perspective of someone who is directly involved with the construction process was much
different than expected. For instance, I was shocked to learn that Bruce finds the construction to
be a negative thing. Because he has contributed to the renovation process, I was nearly positive
that he would see only positives to the situation. “As a student that’s going to graduate soon, I
see it as negative. If I were younger I would see it as a better thing” (Wallace, 2015). However,
Bruce made it clear that, in the long run, it will be more beneficial for the future students of
SJSU.
Takeaways.
Although the interviewing process was very timeconsuming, I had a fun time reaching
out to interviewees and was even able to learn throughout the process. Prior to conducting the
interviews, I had a very onesided perspective on the issue. As a student, I found that, more than
anything, the construction was an inconvenience. However, discussing the subject with three
completely different people assisted me in seeing the positives to it, and even assisted me in
changing views on the subjects. Although I still dread having to take longer routes to class, I
look forward to seeing the newly renovated SJSU.
Hypothesis.
Once all three interviews had been conducted, I found the similarities and differences
among them and analyzed the entire process as a whole. I was able to come to the conclusion
that the construction at San Jose State has more positive attributes than negative. According to
an article in American School & University, these upgrades will both improve the safety for
students, faculty and staff in the event of an earthquake, and enhance their daily comfort with the
updated operating systems (2015). Interviewees Dr. Lynne Tulio, Gabriel Powers, and Bruce
Wallace all were in agreement. At the end of each interview, all were asked whether they feel
there are are more advantages or disadvantages to the situation. Here are the responses:
“..The benefit of the project will outweigh the temporary unhappiness of those affected. Once the
buildings are complete, there will be a generation of students who will get to enjoy a newly
renovated campus” (Powers, 2015). “Ultimately, it’s a good thing because as San Jose State gets
built up, it becomes a more attractive school..so when I’m an alumni the construction will be
seen as more appealing” (Wallace, 2015).“There are definitely more advantages. It’s always
good when the school is able to upgrade buildings– especially when there is a lot of infill and the
construction isn’t spawning into new area.” (Trulio, 2015).
As a result, we now know that there are more advantages to the SJSU oncampus construction
than disadvantages.
456 additional words after revision
Reflection
This paper was written for Comm 111P: Interviewing. I chose to add it to my portfolio because it
demonstrates interviewing skills as well as my ability to communicate competently and in a
theoretically informed manner.. The paper also reflects the Practice course learning objectives in
the sense that it showcases In general, it demonstrates that I am able to work with a variety of
people, which is something highly valued in our world today.