Don't sit on the box on the brick walkway in front of the dome, Jim Peters warns. Peters, father of 2001 graduate Joe, senior Lindsay and freshman Nick, is the project engineer for the new lighting scheduled to replace the wood boxes soon.

"The box has 208 volts of electricity flowing through live wires under it," he said. "We put the box there so nobody would get hurt."

Peters and the administration felt the old light poles detracted from the golden dome as the central point of the parking lot. The new lights are the same as the ones used at Notre Dame and will point light downward while providing a clear view of the dome. The floodlights used to highlight the dome will also be raised to focus on the upper portion of the dome instead of the stained glass windows.

The old light posts were moved 100 feet to the east in early June, and the new light posts were to be installed soon afterward. These plans have been set back several times after the posts arrived dented.

"They've sent us damaged posts three times," Peters said. "They were supposed to be put in over the summer."

The new lights on the walkway are part of a plan to phase in better lighting throughout the school. Peters, Tschantz & Bandwen, Inc., will continue to work on the electrical design as tops are added to the light posts behind the Faraday wing this year. A light post adjacent to the dome that has never worked will also be repaired.

Next year, the kitchen, Holy Cross Room, the library, and third-floor classrooms and corridor will receive new lighting fixtures. Outside, lights near the tennis courts will be replaced. Ceiling fans will be added to the classrooms one floor at a time, beginning with the third floor next year.

Peters hopes the new lights will soon be installed on the walkway. For now, please be careful around that box.