Collis Front Porch

About the project

The Collis Center for Student Involvement has been a cornerstone of campus life at Dartmouth since 1901. Originally named College Hall, the facility is one of the oldest campus centers in the country and serves as a hub for student and community life on campus. The Collis Center currently houses student government, administrative offices, student organizations, a café, and more.  

Despite a significant addition built in 1993, the front porch and patio have generally remained untouched until now. In addition to addressing deferred maintenance, this project will dramatically improve the accessibility of both the building and the porch. The porch was taken offline as an event space in 2009 due to its lack of accessibility. 

Project Goals 

  • Renew the porch – including the surrounding walkways and landscaping – to make the building and porch accessible. When the project is completed, the porch will have two fully accessible entrances.  

  • Create an inclusive and welcoming exterior space that will offer a vibrant, flexible, and engaging environment. The renovations will honor the historic character of the building for decades to come.  

Project Timing

  • The work is expected to take one year and will be implemented in phases to minimize disruption to the campus community. 

  • The first phase of the project will begin in June 2024 and is anticipated to end in November 2024. Phase two is planned to begin in March 2025 with the full completion of the project set for April 2025. 

What's currently happening

  • Granite stairs are being set in place
  • Soil and trees in the south end are being installed 
  • Snow melt tubing for both ramps and the Robinson steps are being added