The Board of Regents approved renovations to the 90-year-old School of Education building during its meeting Sept. 19. The $13.6 million renovation will upgrade approximately 8,300 square feet.
Planned renovations aim to improve the student experience and offer improved spaces for instruction, collaboration and research.
The Office of Student Affairs and Teacher Education suite will be renovated to provide a more visible and welcoming environment for students and visitors and increase staff collaboration.
Three existing classrooms will be renovated to provide a teaching wet laboratory, an interactive classroom with four breakout rooms, and a community lounge will be created.
The renovations will preserve the beauty and character of the building — originally built in 1923 — while providing the updates necessary for preparing today’s education professionals.
Infrastructure improvements on the first and second floors will include new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, new accessible toilet facilities and a new fire alarm system for all renovated spaces.
Funding will be provided from investment proceeds.
The architectural firm of SHW Group will design the project. A phased construction schedule is planned in order to minimize disruption to the academic calendar.
