This past summer, the Advancement Team added a few improvements to the front of Keelty Hall: two wooden benches inside the vestibule and the infamous cement ramp right outside the door. While the paint hadn’t fully dried on them until a few days into school, the benches were a great addition to the small, yet comforting area. They are certainly a very attractive part of what people see when they first enter Keelty Hall.On the contrary, the new ramp that seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere has become a controversial topic among sophomore, junior, and senior-level students who were expecting a step to still be there.
The controversy began on Thursday, August 30th, all-student orientation day. Many students ignored the new incline as they walked around the sidewalk to reach the designated spot for photographs. It wasn’t until the students were exiting Keelty Hall that things seemed mysteriously different. The large step down was no longer there, and questions suddenly arose in many students’ minds. Had a new ramp been constructed out front? Was the walkway higher? Or had the entire building sunk a foot over break? Soon, after viewing the entrance from a farther perspective, students realized that a long ramp had certainly been built to form a slight incline to the door, and the step down was no more.
But what had been the purpose for this new ramp? That question and a few more were answered during an interview with Mr. Joe Baker '76, Chief Advancement Officer. Mr. Baker began by turning back the clock to the 1960’s when CHC was built in Towson; the step had not been an issue at the time. Moving forward to 2015 when Noppinger Commons was constructed, a change occurred. There had never been a large eye-catching display before in the front and center areas of Keelty Hall. After the construction’s completion, however, a problem soon surfaced. When visitors opened the doors and saw the large depth of the Commons room, they paid no attention to the step up that was directly in front of them. The result was that they stumbled and tripped.With student, alumni, and visitor numbers increasing every year, the need grew to build a slight incline rather than retain the sudden step up in front of the school. Now, in 2018, the new ramp isn’t going anywhere, and the only people tripping are those that are still accustomed to the step down. Nevertheless, the new benches and ramp are still fine examples of how Calvert Hall is always digging deeper to make the school grounds a more welcoming and comforting place for students and visitors among us every day.