The University of New Haven has undergone major changes over this past summer, both physically and academically.

In an email to the campus sent out on Aug. 21, President Steven Kaplan outlined the different changes and renovations that students are expected to find once back at UNH for the semester.

Westside Hall officially opened its doors Aug. 21 to 350 freshmen residents. The 110,000 square foot hall includes classrooms, a dining room and a parking garage. The building is still under construction.

Bethel Hall underwent a major renovation, costing $3 million, according to Kaplan’s email. This renovation upgraded the residential suites and the building’s common lounge, and included a new roof, new tiles like those ceramic tiles and new heating and building controls. Most eye-catching of all, a new quad has replaced the parking lot in front of the building, and two new sets of stairs have been added leading down the hill to the new quad.

Upgrades were made to the study area of the lower level of the Peterson Library and a new sign was added to the outside of the building.

The parking lot at North Campus has been repaved and the addition of sidewalks should make traveling to and from main campus safer for students.

The Marketplace in Bartels Hall was renovated as well as rearranged, offering more variety of food and more efficient checkouts.

In addition to the physical changes made, UNH also added Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts as their sixth college. This now makes it possible for students to study painting, sculpture, drawing and illustration.

Construction on the Engineering and Science University Magnet School will begin soon to the west of Bergami Hall. ESUMS is “an interdisciplinary school for middle and high school students. Once completed, UNH students will have access during the evening to some of the state-of-the-art lab spaces there.”

One last change made involves the University’s campus in Tuscany, Italy. This fall it will be relocating to a “fully renovated, former sixteenth century convent on one of the nicest squares in the city of Prato,” said Kaplan’s email.

“All of the changes are really beneficial for our campus,” said junior Cara Demers, who works in the Admissions Office. “The campus looks really great right now, and I think it makes UNH more attractive to prospective students.”