Student walks passed caution tape on the periphery of Mudd Field (Sam Powers | Managing Photo Editor)

It’s difficult not to notice the stumps left behind from the cleared trees of Mudd Field. On Jan. 17, WashU announced the reconstruction of Mudd Field in the upcoming years, an endeavour that will close Mudd Field from after this year’s commencement until Fall 2028. While WashU administrators have expressed excitement regarding the project, some students are upset by the prospect of losing Mudd Field for the rest of their time in college.

At a Student Union Senate meeting on Jan. 21, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students Rob Wild said that the field will transform from an open-programming space into an enclosed space bordered by trees. Part of the rationale for a tree border around the field is to offer shade from heat during the summer in St. Louis. 

“If you’ve ever been in St. Louis in the summer, you don’t really ever want to go on Mudd Field because it’s hot and there’s no shade,” Wild said.

Along with plans to border the field with trees, there are plans to create a pathway through the field to increase accessibility.

“One of the problems right now with Mudd Field is you can’t really get across it without going into the grass,” Wild said. “The new Mudd Field is going to have some hard state, accessible, wide pathways across it.”

Although Wild is excited about the proposed renovations, he acknowledged the nuisance the construction will be for current and future students. Wild said key events during the school year will be moved to other green spaces on campus to minimize the impact of the construction project on student life.

“We are continuing to make plans with our student groups to temporarily relocate signature events held on Mudd Field like WILD and the Activities Fair to other spaces on the Danforth Campus,” Wild wrote in a statement to Student Life. “Fortunately, we have several other options in terms of spaces while this important project is taking place.”

Student Life spoke to several students who were dismayed by the sudden change, including sophomore William Weinstein.

“It’s a little bit abrupt of a change without [holding] a forum for debate,” Weinstein said. “It seems like it’s going to all be closed for a really long time.”

Mudd Field has served as a central space for students to connect with their peers and nature. For sophomore Maddie Sapra, the closure of the field and green spaces around main campus for construction raises concern regarding access to nature on campus in the midst of construction. 

“We pretty much lay out [there] every day that we can, and now it just feels a lot more inaccessible to be able to get in touch with nature,” Sapra said. 

However, Mudd Field has not only served as a social space for students but also as an attraction for prospective students. Sophomore Hopson Stimming shared that Mudd Field was a deciding factor in his decision to attend WashU.

“This field is a huge draw for the school,” Stimming said. “On my tour here I met a bunch of random kids playing Spikeball, and I was like ‘oh this is fun.’ That was a factor in my choice to apply Early Decision”

Although disappointed about the construction on campus, Wild and other students like Weinstein acknowledge that it is a necessary part of a growing school. 

“There’s never a great time for construction, but we know the improvements to Mudd Field will ultimately be worth the wait. When it’s done, we expect it’ll be even more of a destination for students to relax and enjoy campus,” Wild wrote in a statement to Student Life.

“I feel bummed. I knew this would happen sooner or later, and WashU has to grow and evolve,” Weinstein said. “It’s just sad when you catch it at the wrong time.”