Published: July 15, 2009 01:13 pm      

Indiana University Southeast to make more elbow room

University takes next step in building $22 million education/technology building on campus

After years of those with Indiana University Southeast fighting for it, the General Assembly approved authorization for $22 million in bonding for a new education and technology building at the New Albany campus.

However, the battle isn’t over yet.

There are a number of hurdles yet to go, such as having the state budget committee release those bonds and more, according to Larry Mand, vice chancellor of information, technology and community engagement at IUS. However, Chancellor Sandra Patterson-Randles said the largest hurdle is cleared.

“As soon as I walked into the door in 2002, I knew we weren’t going to get this building easily, because there are always lots of priorities for Bloomington and IUPUI,” she said. “But I have been lobbying very, very hard for this building all seven years that I have been here.

“ ... I don’t give up. I don’t give up,” Patterson-Randles said with a smile. “I realize some things take a lot of time.”

Patterson-Randles said since she started lobbying for this addition to the campus, the need for it has only grown. To help prove her point, she provided legislators with details from the 2007 IU Fact Book, the latest version available, which shows the regional average of classroom space per student is 15 square feet compared to IUS’ 10. Lab and study space was also lower at IUS.

“Teaching teachers is one of the most important roles a university can fill, and at IU Southeast, we need more classroom and lab space to do that job,” she said.

More than space to help the education department, this will bring Purdue University College of Technology back on campus, specifically their bachelor of arts programs. Mand said right now those are being housed in the Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana, off Charlestown Road. However, Mand said that building was created to be an incubator for startup businesses.

He said some Purdue classes will stay there once the new building is built at IUS, but most will be relocated to IUS’ campus, leaving more room for businesses to come to the technology center.

Mand added that Purdue has been on campus since IUS opened and this will give them an opportunity to grow and expand their presence on school grounds.

“It was always designed with them in mind,” he said.

Mand said the new building will likely house 15 to 17 classrooms/lab spaces and 50 faculty offices.

Those are greatly needed, according to Gloria Murray, dean of the school of education. She said right now their faculty offices are spread all over campus, the school doesn’t have enough storage room where they are, which is in the basement of the basement of Hillside Hall.

“I think students will be able to find us a lot easier and students will have a place to go and hang out in the School of Education,” Murray said. “It’ll bring about a much nicer climate that’s more comfortable for our students.”

Preliminary building plans have the site having a main entrance to the School of Education as well as one for Purdue. Murray said having their own piece of a building, with an entrance and all, will increase moral of students and faculty and will likely help in the recruitment of both too.

This future move has a benefit to another group too — the business school. The School of Education had been sharing space with the School of Business in Hillside Hall. Now, the business school will have room to expand within its own building, according to Jenny Johnson Wolf, director of university communications at IUS.

Mand said the next steps right now are to update plans for the building and to get the budget committee to give authorization to sell the bonds.

Patterson-Randles said if all goes well, the building could be completed and ready for students in three years. She said the final site hasn’t been determined, but said it may be built in the “core of campus,” between the library and activities building.



BY THE NUMBERS

• According to the latest version of the IU Fact Book, the regional average of classroom space per student is 15 square feet compared to IUS’ 10.