Much anticipated changes to the Sigma Chi dorm will come to fruition this summer as the suite-style rooms get a makeover.

New, movable furniture

According to Michelle Santis, resident director of Sigma, Resident Facilities plans to take out the built-in closets, dressers, sinks and windows and replace them with new, updated furniture –– such as the movable armoires featured in the other dorms. Also, the laundry rooms are going to be completely redone, and there is talk between Auxilary Services and Sigma ResLife Staff about the possibility of renovating some of the bathrooms and sprucing the hallway lighting so the halls will appear less gloomy.

Renovations a response to student concerns

According to junior Luke Robinson, an aspiring Sigma Senator, there were a lot of structural changes that needed to take place in the rooms of Sigma. The old, orange sinks, orange dressers and built-in closets had been an annoyance, both in comfort and in style to students, and the students finally stepped up and voiced their opinions about their frustrations.

“We have decided to take this step because I have taken a series of surveys of students and what they want to see, and I have just made general observations of what is needed,” Santis said. “Auxiliary Services was finally hearing student voices, and that is probably a big reason for why they are saying yes.”

Sigma’s reputation of isolation

Sigma Chi, built in 1977, is the northernmost dorm on campus. It provides a more closed-off study environment for Biola’s undergraduates since it is comprised of longer hallways, doors that do not stay open without a doorstop, and self-sufficiency with their own sinks and door to a suite-style bathroom shared with the adjacent room.

Because it is slightly more isolated, Sigma has had a reputation as the anti-social, studying dorm.

“People think that just because Sigma is far away and has the ‘nerd’ reputation that Sigma’s community isn’t very good, but I love the people here,” freshman Naomi Young said. “I think despite the obstacles the building presents, we have some awesome relationships here.”

Students hope renovations create community

While the community had an influential part in getting renovations to come about, students and Santis said the renovations might be conversely influential to building community.

“When I started four years ago, people were literally getting stabbed in the back by the couches, so no one wanted to use the lobbies,” Santis said. “But then, we got brand new couches and are seeing changes, and now our lobbies are great. Also, the students voiced that they wanted to see new TVs, and Auxiliary Services came in with new TVs this semester.”

According to Santis, the lobbies are now a very active place in Sigma at all hours of the night, proving how much remodeling can renovate the community.

Several students said they agree that the renovations will likely appeal to both returning as well as incoming students, who are more likely to end up in Sigma than a newer dorm like Hope Hall.

“It will definitely attract more people,” Robinson said. “Sigma has a lot that [students] don’t really appreciate, and when they realize what renovations are being done and all that Sigma has to offer, they are going to want to live here.”

Young said Sigma’s greatness does not currently draw a lot of attention and that the community is a well-kept secret.

“I hope it does not attract more people, but it probably will,” Young said. “There are a lot of people who do not like Sigma because they don’t like the community and they think it is really far away. I like that it is far away, though, and I like the people here. And I love the bathrooms — love them.”

Residents influence dorm’s reputation, not renovations

Robinson said he loves the changes he sees happening. The renovations are exciting, but it is the community that is ultimately going to change how people view Sigma, Robinson said.

“What will ultimately change Sigma’s reputation is not the remodel, but the people who are willing to voice, ‘Yeah, I live there and I love it. The community is great,’” Santis said. “So as more of that happens, the more we will see that change, as well as more people willing to invest in Sigma. Hopefully [the renovations] will just be a way to remove some of those hurdles for people to embrace the community and get excited about [Sigma].”

Santis said that the remodel will not really be remembered in a couple years. In the future, people will just see the end product when they look at Sigma. However, the current tenants will be more appreciative.

“[The incoming residents] won’t know what they had before,” she said. “But it’s the [students] who have seen the transformation that get the sense of pride and community and that want to see Sigma bettered.”