Cambridge University Reporter


reports

Report of the Council on an extension and internal alterations to the Faculty of Classics building on the Sidgwick Site

The COUNCIL begs leave to report to the University as follows:

1. The Faculty of Classics building was erected in three phases between the late 1970s and 1980s. By uniting academic staff and resources on a single central site, the building - with the activity it has rendered possible - has made a dramatic impact on the research culture of the Faculty. The Faculty emerged from RAE 2008 with the strongest research profile of any Classics department in the UK. In particular, in raising external research income it is now one of the University's leading Arts and Humanities subjects, with a string of major awards over the last few years contributing to what the RAE sub-panel described as a 'very high total'. The Faculty is anxious to maintain this momentum.

2. No further room is available for housing research projects within the Faculty building. There has been optimal exploitation of existing space over the last few years: toilets have been converted into teaching/research offices, larger rooms have been subdivided, and an area of the Museum has also been made over into offices. Nearly all office space available to University teaching officers (at whatever level of seniority) is allocated on a sharing basis.

3. The Faculty Board of Classics have concluded that a modest extension designed principally to house research activity of various kinds affords the best way of meeting the Faculty's needs. At the same time, opportunity has been taken to provide for relocation of the graduate common room and the general office, and thereby for expansion of the Library which, thanks to the continued international dominance in Classics of the book, remains the Faculty's principal research resource.

4. The extension will be located on the north elevation of the existing main building. It will be two storeys high with brick cladding to match the facade of the original building. It will provide an additional 172m2 gross internal area (GIA) for use as new research and administrative offices, for expansion of library space, and for an expanded lobby area.

5. Internal alterations will affect an area of 466m2 GIA within the existing accommodation, and will allow for reconfiguration of existing library and office facilities and for relocation of the graduate common room, to work in conjunction with the new extension.

6. The total cost of the building project has been estimated to be £1.306m which will be funded from the University's HEFCE Capital Investment Fund (CIF) allocation.

7. It is expected that the new extension will incur recurrent operating and maintenance costs of £14,800 a year. These costs will be met from research grant overheads and HEFCE 'QR' funding.

8. Drawings of the proposed scheme are displayed for the information of the University in the Schools Arcade.

9. The Council recommends:

I. That approval be given for the construction of a new extension and internal alterations to be carried out at the Faculty of Classics as proposed in this Report.

II. That the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) be authorized to accept a tender for the building contract and all associated works in due course, subject to full funding being available.

11 May 2009 ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor M. R. CLARK F. P. KELLY
 DAVID ABULAFIA S. J. COWLEY DEBBIE LOWTHER
 A. P. BAGSHAW M. J. DAUNTON MAVIS MCDONALD
 NICK BAMPOS A. M. DONALD F. MORRISSEY
 R. J. BARNES R. J. DOWLING RACHAEL PADMAN
 NIGEL BROWN DAVID GOOD DAVID SIMON
 WILLIAM BROWN CHRISTOPHER HUM JOAN M. WHITEHEAD