The man who “wrote the book” on Morrill Hall wants the university to save it.

Wesley Shank, professor emeritus of architecture, began researching Morrill Hall in 1972. This research was included in his 1979 book “The Iowa Catalog: Historic American Buildings Survey.” He also successfully lobbied in 1996 for its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

“It’s worth saving for its architectural and historical value,” Shank said.

Morrill Hall was designed by the Cedar Rapids architectural firm Josselyn and Taylor. The building was dedicated June 16, 1891, to Sen. Justin Morrill, who wrote the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 and the second Morrill Act of 1890, which Shank said was promoted in order to end discrimination against black students at land grant universities.

“It’s an important example of its architectural style and the developing skill of architects in Iowa at the time it was designed,” he said. “I think the public should be able to trust its institutions to preserve historical artifacts, and people are beginning to realize that things like Morrill Hall are important as historical structures.”

Morrill Hall’s place in the National Register of Historic Places doesn’t ensure its survival, Shank said, but does regulate what funds the university can use to tear it down.

“If the university used federal funds to remove the building, a State Historical Preservation officer would have to review it,” he said.

Shank agrees with several comments posted on the ISU Web site that say there is a lack of study space on campus and Morrill Hall would be an ideal location for a student center.

“The most appropriate use would be for student use,” he said. “It could be a satellite center for the Memorial Union on Central Campus.”

Gary Tartakov, professor of art and design, said Morrill Hall is “the most handsome work of art on campus.”

Tartakov suggested that Morrill Hall be converted into a multicultural center and called on the university to take responsibility for the building.

“It was the university’s decision to let it degrade,” he said.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy has not set a date to make a decision on the future of the building.

“[Geoffroy] has been reviewing the comments and probably wants to take more time to study them,” said John McCarroll, director of University Relations.