Journalism students anxious about the upcoming renovation of Allen Hall didn’t need to wait long to have their voices heard.
Yesterday evening, students were given the opportunity to vocalize their questions and concerns about the construction during the School of Journalism and Communication’s “Pizza with the Dean,” a meet-and-greet with SOJC Dean Tim Gleason in the Allen Hall Duniway Center.
During the event, Gleason announced that starting summer term, future lecture classes, faculty offices and the John L. Hulteng Student Services Center would be moved across campus to Agate Hall until the construction on Allen Hall was completed. He also said that while most of the computer and design labs would be set up in Agate Hall, there was a possibility some would be located to the Knight Library or at Chambers Communications Corporation, a Eugene-based broadcasting company that produces local television station KEZI. Gleason said the SOJC was considering making the corporation’s headquarters as a permanent satellite video production and broadcast facility for electronic media majors.
Many students expressed concerns over whether there would be space available in Agate Hall to work on projects and hold group meetings, and whether the new location provided an environment where students could easily seek help from professors. Gleason responded that the school would do its best to maintain the quality of students’ education and make sure opportunities would be “as good as can be provided.” He sympathized with students who had wanted to spend their academic years learning in Allen Hall but were no longer able to in light of construction.
“I fully appreciate that for those of you who are juniors or graduating seniors next year, this is not great timing for you all,” Gleason said. “If there was some other way to do it, we would.”
The SOJC will be spending $15 million to expand and renovate Allen Hall, adding a total of 14,275 square feet to the building. Construction will begin June 15 and last for 18 months until the project is completed in winter 2013.
Brandy Dominguez, a junior journalism major, said she came to the event to learn what would happen to her “home” at the University. She was satisfied with the meeting and impressed by Gleason’s candidness when addressing student concerns.
“(Gleason) was all so honest with us and told us he’s not really sure about some of the things that are going to happen, but it’s a good thing he had us all come together and talk about it,” Dominguez said.
Chris Burkhardt, a senior journalism major who recorded the meeting for a class project, said he thought Gleason went “above and beyond” what he expected when answering students’ questions and did a good job focusing on the fact that this is happening for the future. Burkhardt believes that when the construction is complete, the school will be in a position that “the journalism school’s probably never been in before.”
Gleason said he was pleased with the first meeting and is planning to hold more in the future as more information about the construction project and class relocation becomes available. He said the school would continue to look for ways to “set up communication loops not just for this period before the move, but during the move, so that we make sure that students are in the loops.”
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