A strong thunderstorm in April 2018 caused a large limb to fall off the old beech tree in the Chemistry Building’s Courtyard. A broken window had to be replaced near the undergraduate teaching labs and it was later determined that the tree itself was dead and its core was hollow. Sadly, the tree had to come down and a fungus in the wood prevented us from saving all the history engraved on its trunk. The Trustees graciously decided to take this opportunity to replace the old deck with a new cumaru wood deck and add new plantings in place of the old tree to completely refresh the space. As soon as the project was finished in early June 2019, the revitalized courtyard became a place of quiet and shade for students, staff, and visitors. The pictures show the transformation of the courtyard.
