LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The President of UNLV sent an email to students regarding the changes made at Beam Hall ahead of the 2024 fall semester and a survey for artwork and mural ideas.
The president says they plan to reopen Beam Hall and have classes in the building. The university announced the reopening in March.
On Dec. 6, a gunman – identified as 67-year-old Anthony Polito – entered Beam Hall, fatally shot three faculty members and critically injured a fourth. Las Vegas police said the suspect went to several other floors of the business school before he was killed in a shootout with two university police detectives outside the building.
The president said Facilities Management, OIT, University Police Services, Risk Management, and Planning and Construction continue to do repairs and upgrades.
Keith E. Whitfield said Beam Hall could reopen on Aug. 13.
The president said access to the third, fourth and fifth floors from the stairs and elevators will require a proximity card or stairwell key throughout the semester.
Five surveillance videos have also been installed in the elevator lobbies on the first through fifth floors. The president said there’s a possibility of adding them to other buildings in the future.
There were more than 130 damaged doors replaced and also another 350 doors in other campus buildings impacted during police response. Whitfield said the building’s fire alarm system on floors three to five have been replaced.
Enhanced emergency notifications were installed in classroom telephones.
The interior of the building has also been repainted, landscaping refreshed and new banners and signage are being installed in the east and west atrium spaces. The university said they allocated nearly $1 million to improve lighting throughout the campus and the work for this will continue throughout the fall semester.
As for the survey , the December 6 Memorial Committee is asking for feedback on a plan to add murals or related artwork outside of Beam Hall to “honor the impactful teaching legacies of our faculty colleagues who perished on Dec. 6.”
The survey could be found here. It appears that only those with UNLV emails are able to access it.
Alongside the survey, the Oral History Research Center is working on “UNLV Remembers: An Oral History of the 6 December 2023 Shooting.” Those wishing to participate could fill out a form here.
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