Business school renovation complete

Business school renovation complete

The School of Business is on the move. In addition to its relocation to the former Conference Center, the business school has an unmistakeable momentum, punctuated by an MBA program that is growing faster than anticipated in prestige, numbers and reach to distant lands such as Ireland and China, and its prestigious AACSB accreditation that puts it in the company of elite business schools across the nation.

Dr. Walter Ryba, dean of the School of Business, summed it up when he said recently, "I guess you could say we're on a roll."

Under the direction of Richard Taylor, project manager and assistant vice president for administration, the business school's new facility has been renovated in three short months to suit the business school's philosophy that learning is a collaborative effort, enhanced by the latest technological tools.

The former Conference Center's suites were converted into 45 faculty offices, which got power upgrades for computers, wiring for Internet access and phones, and new furniture. A Faculty Resource Center includes a reference library and three computers.

Seven classrooms were wired for multimedia, the Internet and computer projection, and the 150-seat amphitheater also was wired for computer projection.

Two labs with a total of 16 Pentium-based computers were created, along with a 49-seat Distance Learning Room where eventually classes can broadcast to remote sites. Each seat, according to Taylor, has a port for a laptop computer.

Two seminar rooms that can seat 28 students were wired for computers and are located in the faculty wing. Adjacent to the seminar rooms are six team workrooms that have three computers with Internet access and a conference table with nine laptop ports embedded in the table top. Adjoining the workrooms are two breakout rooms so students can leave during a lecture to work on projects.

In addition, Area Studies, the Center for Global Competitiveness and International Studies have moved to the new School of Business to facilitate cooperation and curricular alliances.

A spacious student lounge located near the front doors and a snack bar car serve undergraduates and evening students.

Posted On: 09-01-1998 09:09 AM

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