Being a faculty or staff member in Zulauf Hall will be more relaxing now because of recent building upgrades.

Some of the faculty and staff with offices in Zulauf received new desks, cabinets and offices over the summer.

“I like the new desk,” sociology professor Adam King said. “These desks are a lot better; I have more space for grading my papers.”

One-hundred and four new desks cost approximately $73,000, procurement manager Becky May said.

Student fees were not used to pay for the new furniture, according to business manager Pat Boesche.

The upgrade was a long time in the making.

“This is the first time desks have been replaced,” Boesche said. “The desks were about 30 years old; the building is about 35 years old.”

A majority of the new items were built specifically for professors in Zulauf Hall.

“Most of the new features the faculty received were from I-Pack, which provides state of Illinois colleges some of their expenses,” said Boesche. “The equipment replacement money coming to this college is part of a budget process.”

Most professors in Zulauf received new items, but deans and advisers remain in temporary offices.

There are many things left to do in the building, as some professors did not receive new desks.

“They are doing major construction on the second and third floors, where they are making new offices,” said William Minor, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Before remodeling, there were three floors of advisers. After the remodel, all advisers will be on the second floor.

First-year teachers coming to Zulauf, like political science professor Matt Streb, were impressed by the new features.

“The desks are great and very comfortable; it allows me to spread out,” Streb said. “Working in an office that is comfortable is a lot easier.”