The 2014-2015 academic year is officially one for the books and UTC is poised for a great 2015-2016.
On Saturday, May 2nd UTC celebrated the conferring of degrees to more than 1500 undergraduate and graduate candidates. Graduation is, in my opinion, the best day in the life of a university. It is the culmination of years of work by our students, of course, but it also represents the work and mentoring of our faculty and staff. What a wonderful ceremony and the beginning of so many bright futures. Thank you to all of our faculty and staff who participated on Saturday and those who worked behind the scenes to make Saturday’s commencement a memorable event.
Graduation means an end to the academic year and the beginning of summer — the time of the year when the campus is literally on the move! We have approval to move forward with the planning for the Lupton Library/Fine Arts renovation project beginning this summer. We are working to ensure that funding for the Lupton/Fine Arts project is the top UT priority for next year’s capital budget. If funded, we would be in position to start renovation in the latter part of 2016. Part of this funding request includes work in the Fine Arts Center.
Other projects with move implications include the renovation of Holt, construction of the Decosimo Student Success Center in Fletcher, the opening of a one stop Student Service Center and the relocation of the Disability Resource Center. The renovation of Holt Hall is under design and due to start construction in May 2016. Construction of the Decosimo Student Success Center in Fletcher Hall necessitates Political Science’s move to Pfeiffer Hall. Last but not least, the one stop Student Service Center will be located in the University Center’s former computer lab space. The Records office will move to the UC from Race Hall in space adjacent to the new service center. The IT Solutions Center will be relocated to 1st Floor, Pfeiffer Hall to make room for this new initiative.