Blog Post 2

Third floor construction in the Oklahoma Memorial Union forced the Pink and Black Ball to relocate from the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom to the Sam Noble Museum. Construction began on Monday, December 19, 2011 and is scheduled to end on Sunday, March 18, according to the Oklahoma Memorial Union website.

All events that usually take place in the Associates room, the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, the Frontier, the Governors, Heritage, Pioneer, Regents and Scholars rooms, the Dr. David F. Schrage OU Traditions room or the Weitzenhoffer room have been relocated, many finding a new home at the Sam Noble Museum.

Planning began around 18 months ago to replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC systems on the third floor. The HVAC units being replaced were from around 1950 and finding parts to repair them had become difficult, said Laura Tontz, director of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. There are also plans to give the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom and atheistic upgrade, with refinished flooring, new wallpaper and paint.

When the construction plans were finalized, arrangements were made with all the usual spring clients, who rent the rooms for events during the semester, said Tontz.

“We worked hard to try to help people find things even outside of the Union,” Tontz said. “We tried to be really proactive ahead of time.”

The Pink and Black Ball celebrated its eighth annual event this year, according to the Pink and Black Ball website. However the big change this year was that the black and pink decorations were set up amongst the dinosaur skeletons and the mammoth statue in the main hall of the Sam Noble Museum. While the event is usually on campus, thecoordinators were happy to host the Susan G. Komen fundraising event at a different venue.

“We love the Union, it is a beautiful ballroom and we are sad itʼs not available to us, but we are excited to do something totally different this year,” said Kathy Moxley, director of the Womenʼs Outreach Center.

Although the event was not on campus, ticket sales were up from last year and they were expecting a good turn out, said Moxley.

Hosting the event at the Sam Noble museum brought its own strengths and weaknesses according to the Susan G. Komen Undergraduate Intern and Pink and Black Ball Volunteer Coordinator, Jennifer Lobaugh.

“The advantage, of course, of having it at the Union is that is is on campus. On the other hand, though, there is more parking here,” said Lobaugh.

There will not be a reopening ceremony for the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom or any of the other rooms undergoing upgrades. The rooms have already been booked for events right when the construction is scheduled to end. The Oklahoma Memorial Union third floor is planned to reopen the week after spring break. All the construction is on schedule up to this point, said Tontz.

Clockwise: Christopher Gutierrez, aerospace engineering senior, helps to finish the table decorations. The Pink and Black Ball volunteers decorate the main hall of the Sam Noble Museum. Cassie Ketrick, a Pink and Black Ball volunteer, sets up extra chairs around the tables.