Three construction projects will be dedicated Wednesday morning in a joint ceremony, capping a major series of changes that have transformed the UT Dallas campus over the last two years. 

UT Dallas Building Dedications

Student Services Building Lobby

Dedication of the Student Services Building, Founders Renovation and Science Learning Center.

Ceremony:
Oct. 20, 10:30 a.m.
Reception: 11 a.m.
Student Services Building Open House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Refreshments will be provided, and the UT Dallas pep band  will perform.

There will be giveaways for students throughout the building

 


Founders Renovation:  An Old Friend Gets a New Look

Learning Center is a New Place to Explore Science

One-Stop Shop: The Student Services Building

The dedication is planned for 10:30 a.m. on the first-floor lobby of the new Student Services Building (SSB).  In addition to the SSB, the event recognizes the new Science Learning Center and the Founders Building redesign.

Coordinated and led by students, the dedication will be followed by an open house in the SSB from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Speakers will include student representatives from the International Student Services Office, the Multicultural Student Center, Orientation Team Mentors, Students for Environmental Awareness, the Wellness Center and the Women’s Center.

“This dedication is all about paying tribute to our students,” said Darrelene Rachavong, vice president for Student Affairs.  “Their enthusiasm, persistence and understanding of campus needs and their fellow students are the reasons the Student Services Building came to fruition.”

Located on Drive A between the Activity Center and the Student Union, the Student Services Building is a $27 million, 74,000-square-foot, four-story facility that serves as a one-stop shop for current and prospective students and their families. 

The Science Learning Center, situated just north of Berkner Hall and west of Founders North, provides spaces for math and science teaching of primarily undergraduate students.  The building also includes a lab for research about effective teaching and learning techniques in those fields, both at the college and K-12 levels.  The $29 million facility includes a lecture hall, instructional labs and offices for faculty and tutors. 

Renovation of the Founders Building, one of the first buildings on campus, included updating classroom and lab spaces and creating a new eastern façade.  An atrium lobby in the building extends out to the mall and is enclosed with glass. The renovation also added an open computer lab in the basement.  The updates cost about $27 million.

Construction on campus has been nearly non-stop since 2008.  In addition to new Dining and Residence Halls — both firsts for UT Dallas — the Campus Landscape Enhancement was dedicated late last month. 

That project, a privately funded effort, included a redesign of the heart of campus between the Student Union and McDermott Library.  Features include a revamped central mall with waterways, thousands of trees, benches and a steel trellis.

A second Residence Hall is currently under construction and planned for completion in time for the start of classes next fall. 

“These dedications represent yet another milestone for UT Dallas, which is experiencing the largest campus transformation in the University’s history” said Dr. Calvin D. Jamison, senior vice president for Business Affairs. “With the new buildings, campus enhancements and additional residence halls, we continue to create a very special place for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the community.”

Also coming soon is a renovation to the ground floor of the Student Union addition, which is expected to begin later this year and be completed in mid-2011. 

Work also will start on the Visitor Center and Campus Store and the Arts and Technology Building.  Both of those projects are expected to be complete in 2012.

“It’s been a busy two years,” said Rick Dempsey, associate vice president for Facilities Management at the University.  “Our students, faculty and staff, and even our neighbors in the surrounding communities, have been very patient with us as the University has grown.  We look forward to continued improvements on campus and are optimistic about the opportunities these sorts of improvements bring to a growing campus like UT Dallas.”