Campus Overview
Pardee Hall, the largest academic building on campus, was devastated by fire twice in the 19th century. One fire began when a science experiment was carelessly left in a lab drawer. The other fire was arson, deliberately set by a professor of moral philosophy and ethics, who reportedly enjoyed watching the building burn from across the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Although Pardee Hall is truly oriented southward, with the gently sloping hill leading to its front entrance, the students refer to this as the "back" of Pardee because the other side (the true back) faces the Quad. During the winter, or after a drenching spring rain, sledding is popular on the hill "behind" Pardee Hall.
Kirby Hall of Civil Rights, the interior of which is constructed of travertine marble, was rumored to have been the most expensive collegiate building, per square foot, built at its time. The building was designed by the same architectural firm that designed New York City's Grand Central Terminal.
Farinon College Center, the student union, was architecturally inspired by the McKelvy House, a college-owned mansion just off campus. It is located in the original location of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, and the fireplace in the lobby is the original fireplace from the fraternity. While the top floor of Farinon is an "all-you-can-eat" style buffet paid for in blocks from a meal plan, the downstairs is a station-based food court in which students pay itemized fees for food. The dining area for the downstairs area also serves as the stage for comedy acts brought in by the Lafayette Activities Forum, the College's student-run activities committee.
Markle Hall, now the main administrative building, housing the Offices of Admissions and Financial Aid, originally was designated the Hall of Mining Engineering. An online historical survey of campus buildings is maintained by the College's Special Collections.
Gilbert's Cafe, a coffeehouse located on the ground floor of Kirby House, was opened in 1999 to provide a late-night hangout for students. Its name was the subject of a contest, and the winning student selected one of General Lafayette's middle names: Gilbert. In the fall of 2006, a sinkhole was discovered underneath Kirby House, and the much-beloved coffeehouse had to be closed during the spring semester. However, it was reopened for the subsequent fall semester. Gilbert's Cafe is the site of many open mic nights where student bands can perform for their classmates.
Skillman Library underwent an extensive renovation from 2003 to 2005, and the building has won several awards, including the 2006 national honor award for interior architecture from the American Institute of Architects.
Also in the fall of 2006, Lafayette signed a deal with MTV to designate the campus as an MTVu campus. As a result, Lafayette hosted an MTVu concert in the spring of 2006, as opposed to the regular concert chosen by the student government. This was led by the Student Activities Planning Board, called the Lafayette Activities Forum (LAF), the organization that continues to plan and produce Lafayette's major Spring Concerts. In the spring of 2007, Third Eye Blind was selected to perform in Kirby Gymnasium, followed by the musical artist Ben Folds in the spring of 2008 and a triple feature with headliner Girl Talk in 2009. The show in 2010 featured Kid Cudi with RJD2 and Chiddy Bang. The Spring Concert in 2011 featured rappers K'Naan, Wale and Sam Adams. The 2012 Spring Concert will feature 3LAU, The Dean's List and Hot Chelle Rae.
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