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UNM is facing an armchair evolution.
Rick Henrard, interim director of UNM’s Office of Capital Outlay, said the University is buying bigger chairs that are more ergonomic, which means that they are “the best and most comfortable for the human body.” One of the reasons is to address the growing size of students, but he said that this is generally the case nationwide.
“I think there are trends out there and data that do say that our population has gotten bigger,” he said. “In some cases, some manufacturers are making task chairs a little bigger for waiting room areas for health care in particular. But I think that’s just a general kind of trend, too.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27.1 percent of New Mexican adults had self-reported obesity in 2012. In 2011, the statewide obesity rate was 25.6 percent, while in 2010, it was 25.5 percent.
Henrard said that UNM is buying sturdier chairs to accommodate students of all sizes.
Kim Sylvester, UNM’s associate project manager of interiors, said the University now considers ergonomic aspects of chairs to ensure students’ comfort in the classroom and to prevent injuries.
“We never used to look at that,” she said. “Many, many years ago when we were looking for student chairs, it was just a place for them to sit in. Now, we do think more about how it’s going to affect someone who has been sitting for a long period of time.”
But Sylvester said the weight aspect is only a “small part” of chair renovations on campus. She said the chair manufacturers are producing wider and sturdier chairs generally because of technological improvements.
The chair renovations in buildings make it easier for students to use technology in class, Sylvester said. She said new chairs also provide classrooms with a more informal environment.
“They’re used to being able to take their iPad, their laptop or even their cell phone and sit anywhere now,” she said. “Students are requiring more of a casual feel in some instances. They tend to want to meet in nontraditional spaces outside of class when they get together.”
And she said new chairs give students more seating options.
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“We have a chair that we love to use a lot that has a flip-up arm,” she said. “That gives students options for when they’re sitting in the classroom. We also put flex whenever possible, flexing in the back. That gives students more comfort.”
Henrard said new chairs exude a “Starbucks feel.” His office has installed outlets to improve chairs’ connectivity, he said.
“When I was in school, we carry our books separately, and we sat in the more traditional chair-and-desk setup,” he said. “Now, if you look at some of the classrooms, we have round-table setups.
There’s really no front of the room. We have screens everywhere.
It’s more interactive and collaborative.”
UNM has replaced chairs in Kiva Hall and those in Mitchell Hall classrooms four years ago, Henrard said. He said the University has also installed more modern chairs in the Collaborative Teaching and Learning Building, which was finished this year.
Henrard said his office manages funds for chair renovations. He said the Provost’s Office decides which buildings will get chair replacements occasionally.
Sylvester said the budget for chair renovations varies from project to project. At the moment, the University is working to place new chairs in the common areas of the Honor’s College building.
UNM gets “pretty level and competitive” prices for chairs, Henrard said. He said the University gets discounts from manufacturers because it is an academic institution.
Henrard said chair renovations would help students academically and would also help attract students to study at UNM. He said the renovations would benefit the University in the long run.
“Technology is changing,” he said. “The way we teach, or pedagogy, has changed a lot. The way students learn and collaborate has really caused the furniture industry to make some changes.”
