This spring, Facilities Services began a construction project, expected to end this November, to replace three failing roofs across the Student Center (Stu). The construction has disturbed some community members, despite efforts to minimize disruptive construction during the school day.
In the spring of 2025, Facilities Services hired roofing company WS Aiken to assess Milton’s roof and building facades, determine roof quality, and recommend strategic budgets for major roof repairs and replacements. Director of Facilities Dave Duncan described the trustees as “very data-driven,” even though “over the last number of years, due to funding, we’ve had to push certain projects off.” Although on some roofs, such as the one above Forbes Dining Hall, the contractor and facilities staff easily identified areas to patch, they could not identify the source of the leak on the Stu roof, so they opted for a full renovation. The renovation will replace the previous copper roof with updated PVC/rubber and copper systems and will carry a twenty-year warranty, although Duncan predicts the new roof will last 30 years.
Many students and teachers criticize the construction for disrupting classes. Lewis Moten ’29 described his struggle: “My English class is on the fourth floor… It's really hard to write…because you constantly hear the banging, and we’re all having to wear AirPods since we can't hear.” Elliot Levin ’28, who co-leads political discourse club Across the Aisle, described similar troubles: “Last year, our normal meeting spot for Across the Aisle [in Wig 301] had to be moved because they were working right outside the window and the fumes were a lot to handle.”
Other community members exposed to the construction remained unfazed. English Teacher Lisa Baker said, “The drilling or the jackhammering or whatever they’re doing can be quite thunderous… it’s hard to hear people across the table… but it never lasts long.” She added, “when it was particularly loud, [Dean of Faculty Matthew Bingham] came and said, 'we’ve asked them to stop working while the classes are running’… so I don’t have many opinions about [the construction].”
To minimize class interference, Duncan planned with the English and History department chairs for the optimal times for the construction to take place. “The roofers come at 6:00 a.m., so we said we would typically do the noisiest work between 6:00 a.m. and when classes start.”
This April, Duncan sent a whole-school email explaining the purpose and logistics of the Stu construction. However, the message did not reach some community members. “I feel like it hasn’t been communicated to us fully what they’re actually doing up on the roof. I wonder if it’s necessary and what’s actually being accomplished,” said Levin. He added, “I would have preferred that they sent an email… just to let us know what actually the goal is.” Baker said that she “certainly didn’t come to school this year in September thinking there would be construction on campus.” Regardless, she explained, “I’m sure they reported to us about the timing of the roofing, but it’s not something I’d pay attention to.”
Duncan believes the Advancement Team has more difficulty securing funds for “facilities-type maintenance projects.” Thus, the Facilities Department's annual budget paid for the Stu roof replacement.
Some students and teachers understand the importance of the construction. Ren Hirose ’28 reflected on the construction project and his trust in the Milton administration: “Facilities Services Employee Kahn Chace [and others involved in the project] could honestly do no wrong, and when I hear his team pounding on the roof, I know I’m in good hands.”