The office portables in the parking lot behind Beasley Hall will be vacated in December 2009 after more than 20 years, the dean of the college of liberal arts said.

The two portables that house the sociology, criminal justice, anthropology and economics departments have stood there since the mid-1980s, said Andrew Schoolmaster, dean of the AddRan College of Liberal Arts.

Schoolmaster said the reason the move from the portables took so long is because the university had other priorities that were pursued before building a new facility for the AddRan College.

The new building, Scharbauer Hall, will be located where the old student center used to stand. AddRan faculty and staff will be located on the fourth floor.

Schoolmaster said the total cost put toward construction, equipment and furniture is $25 million.

“Relocating to new offices allows for better teaching and research space, and a better environment for both faculty and students,” he said.

The plan for the portables is to get rid of them completely, said Harold Leeman, associate director of major projects for the Physical Plant.

Leeman said Brite Divinity School is planning on building a new hall where the portables currently stand. The portables may stay up to six months after AddRan moves out to accommodate other construction on campus.

Morrison Wong, professor of sociology, said he has been teaching at TCU for 28 years and has been in the portables since the 1980s.

An advantage of moving is greater visibility on campus, and people will know where to find the buildings because a lot of people do not associate the trailers with offices, Wong said.

“We will become not part of the trailer trash anymore,” Wong said jokingly.

A disadvantage is that currently they are aware of who enters and leaves the trailer, but when they move they will not have that luxury, Wong said. The close proximity between friends and colleagues will also be gone, he said.

“We allow cats and dogs in our building, and we are in charge of what we do,” Wong said. “When we move we won’t be able to have our own culture we have gotten used to anymore.”

John Lovett, professor of economics since 2000, said his main problem with the trailers is the animals that serve as a distraction.

“When we have visitors and you hear the squirrels, it’s kind of embarrassing,” he said.

The portables are the last two temporary buildings on campus, so moving will be welcome change, Lovett said.