When residents of the Lawn and the Range found out in August they would be unable to use their fireplaces until repairs could be undertaken, there were calls for the University to take action expeditiously to preserve what is a cherished part of the living experience at the heart of the Academical Village. Yet because the University administration had not anticipated the flaws with the fireplaces, it did not possess the necessary funds to assure that the repairs could be carried out this year. Therefore, raising money from private donors was the only solution available to Lawn and Range residents who hoped to have their fireplaces operational by winter.
The University administration has smartly limited its involvement in this endeavor and instead has encouraged the Lawn and Range residents themselves to spearhead the solicitation of private funds. This is exactly as it should be since donor dollars are scarce, particularly in the present economic climate, and the University as a whole has much more pressing needs for which it must raise money. For although fireplace use adds a certain charm to living on the Lawn and Range, it serves no essential purpose now that the rooms can be heated in other ways.
Furthermore, the benefits of fireplace use accrue primarily to those who actually live on the Lawn and the Range rather than to the broader University community. As a result, the University administration would be unjustified in pursuing this cause to the detriment of others such as the AccessUVa financial aid system and the Capital Campaign which support a much wider swath of individuals.
Nor are the fireplace repairs particularly analogous to ongoing renovations at the Rotunda, which is another integral part of the Academical Village. The Lawn and Range rooms suffer from cracked chimney flues and the lack of a sprinkler system, two defects which render it unsafe to light fires in the rooms but do not impact their aesthetic or functional characteristics. In contrast, the present phase of the Rotunda repairs address crumbling column capitals, a leaking roof and other significant deficiencies that are negatively impacting its very physical integrity.
Moreover, whereas the Lawn and Range rooms provide private space to a select group of individuals, the Rotunda functions as a museum that offers cultural and intellectual opportunities to all University students and the wider public. Thus, Lawn and Range residents could not claim the same attention from the University administration even if the Rotunda repairs also were of a discretionary nature.
Administrators appear to have recognized this reality, and are rightly urging Lawn residents to take the lead in raising money for the repairs. "There is no capacity to fund this project within the University's current budget without materially affecting other priorities, including those that affect student life," Michael Strine, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in an Oct. 12 email to Lawn and Range residents. "The University is prepared to launch a fundraising campaign and we would like to involve you."
So far, Lawn and Range residents appear to have responded positively by launching a website, www.keepthefiresburning.org, detailing their goal of raising $3.7 million. Although the University can provide logistical support for this campaign by sharing lists of Lawn and Range alumni and figuring out a timeline for repairs so that a deadline can be set, it is up to current Lawn and Range residents to prove through their fundraising efforts how much the fireplaces really are worth in their eyes.
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