Academic building almost complete
By Christy Kincade

Virginia Wesleyan College is making technological advances with the new academic building. The 25,400 square foot building will be completed in July and ready for use by fall.

The $4 million project will contain classrooms, seminar rooms, a computer lab, faculty offices, and student support services. There will be a multi-media presentation classroom that will connect VWC with the rest of the world.

"The most exciting aspect is how advanced we’ll be from where we are now," said Lauren Trimmer, director of business operations.

The multi-media classroom is set up in three tiers, with tables instead of desks that fit together in groups and a 32-person capacity. This room will make it possible to converse with people around the world through interactive videos.

"We’re trying to get a flexibility of how different teachers teach," Trimmer said.

The new building houses new offices for the Writing Center, Learning Resource Center, Adult Studies and the registrar. The Center for the Study of Religious Freedom will also get a new start with offices in the building.

The curved wall on the west side of the building is the new computer lab with an updated wiring system under the floor tiles to make it easier to fix problems. There is one computer classroom with 24 computers and the Learning Resource Center will have a computer lab with stations for eight people.

Dr. Stephen Mansfield, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, said all of the empty offices and buildings will be occupied.

"We will not be eliminating any computer space," said Mansfield. The library computer lab will remain open for student use.

The Meadows and Pines modular units will be turned over to Dean of Students David Buckingham for student activities. The Women’s Resource Center will be moved to the Cypress classroom, security will be in the former registrar’s office, and the coaching staff will move into the Oaks unit.

Professors will relocate their offices into the new academic building based on seniority, according to Bill Joseph, vice president for business affairs.

"However, we do have faculty in Pines and Meadows that don’t want to move," Joseph said.

The deans’ offices will be located in the new facility, putting Director of International Programs Dr. Pat Sullivan in that space with the study abroad program. Financial Aid and computer services will expand into the former Learning Resource Center.

Virginia Wesleyan is expanding and building more things to benefit the college. As a result of the new academic building expect to see many changes on campus.

A rectangular parking lot is being added to the gym lot out to Smith Drive. A detention pond will be built in the center of the field behind the new building to allow for better drainage. There will be no boats or ducks, however.

"You should only see water in the pond when it rains," Trimmer said.

To conserve energy in the academic building, an ice farm will be underground. The building runs a chiller at night, when the building will use the least amount of energy. During this process ice will be made in storage tanks to be used for air conditioning during the day.

Upon completion of the academic building, construction will continue around campus. Groundbreaking for the new administration building is in May.

"The target date for completion of the administration building is summer 1999,"Joseph said.

The main purpose is to expand the library into the current administration offices.

"The library administration offices were only temporary in the early ‘70s," Trimmer said. "We need to get them out and expand the library."

Once this is completed, construction will begin on the long-awaited student center next to the gym.

"The student center is a matter of time and money," said Trimmer. "The time frame could be anywhere from three to five years."

Much of the funding for these projects is being raised through the Consider the Harvest Campaign. Their goal is to reach $25 million for the new buildings.

With all of the new structures going up on Wesleyan’s campus, one thing will remain the same. The Board of Trustees and administration of the college are making certain that the chapel’s bell tower, the symbol of Virginia Wesleyan College, will always be visible from Wesleyan Drive.