The Chimpanzee Human Communication Institute (CHCI) building has recently become a study hall for the athletics department. The ROTC programs had requested use of the building, but did not receive the necessary funds.

“That facility was not a traditional classroom space,” Linda Schactler, director of public affairs, said. “We were trying to identify what a good, permanent function would be for that building.”

Army ROTC Lt. Col. Scott Carpenter said the CHCI building is not very useful to the university, due to it being set up more like a zoo than a classroom.

“The university last fall did an assessment of programs that might be interested in that space,” Schactler said. “ROTC is one of the highest priority programs.”

Instead of using the CHCI building for ROTC, the university plans on moving the ROTC to Lind Hall when Science Phase II construction is done.

“They’re going to spend a year refurbishing it, the whole second floor will be army and air force, the bottom floor is going to be student services,” Carpenter said.

A legislative request by the university was made last year asking for the ability to renovate the CHCI building to make it more suitable for the ROTC programs’ use, Schactler said. However, the proposal was turned down.

A second request could have been made this year to start renovations. However, the university felt that the ROTC programs couldn’t wait that long for an update, Schactler said.

In the meantime, Peterson Hall, two double wide modular housing units are the current home for the Army and Air Force ROTC.

Senior Military Instructor Kori Kvalevog said that one unit in Peterson has already began the process of renovation, and should be ready for the programs’ use later in 2015.

The current facilities for the ROTC programs are located on the northwest corner of campus. The main complaint is that there is too little presence of ROTC on campus.

“I think [the facilities] are adequate,” Kvalevog said. “We’re provided a place and we’re able to accomplish our missions with it. So I have really no issues with it.”

Carpenter and Kvalevog said that, though some aspects of the buildings are less than desirable, they’ve been grateful to have these resources.

“Obviously it’s an old building, but it’s served its purposes.” Carpenter said. “You always would like better, newer, state-of-the-art stuff, but it’s done everything we’ve needed.”

Having access to their own building has given the ROTC programs the benefit of not having to compete with others for space.

Carpenter said that the plans to put the programs into Lind are perfect.

“It puts us on main campus, and all students who come on the university come through there.” Carpenter said. “So we’ll get a chance to meet all the men and women who come through there and let them see what opportunities there are to become a military officer.”

The university has been looking for ways to accommodate the ROTC programs, said Carpenter, but those decisions have to be make financial sense.

The ROTC programs have worked with their current facility, but are looking forward to the addition of Lind.

“We do the best we can with what we’ve got.” Kvalevog said. “That’s the way of the army.”