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Center for Teaching and Learning opens
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With a “bang” and streams of confetti, the Interactive Learning Center and the Center for Teaching and Learning was officially opened Aug. 23 at 1:15 p.m. The ceremony was part of the 75th anniversary celebration events that will be occurring throughout the year.
The four-story, high-tech building will provide 12 general use classrooms, several multi-media labs and a new location for students to eat. The Bits and Bytes Food Court includes Grille Works, Zoca, Bene Pizza and Pasta, Java City, Freshens Smoothie Company and C3 Convenience Store.
The ILC will be home to the Center for Teaching and Learning at Boise State University. The center’s goal will be to provide faculty with a place for growth, reflection and innovation in teaching to occur.
“I think those of us who will be teaching in this building will really be able to celebrate what we do,” Center for Teaching and Learning Director Susan Shadle said.
With a $14 million price tag, the ILC is outfitted with the latest technology, including a 42-inch LCD monitor in each breakout rooms, Internet and laptop connections and a 3-D visualization classroom. BSU President Robert Kustra touched on this point during his speech at the grand opening.
“It is, as you can seen, a state of the art, technologically savvy building, symbolic of the digital age in which we live,” Kustra said.
Teachers will also find that the classrooms are easy to rearrange to fit their class needs, as all of the chairs and tables are equipped to be moved.
Kustra brought attention to the main purpose of the Center for Teaching and Learning.
“A central part of its mission is to foster opportunities for our faculty to connect with one another in workshops, brown bag discussions and informal conversations,” Kustra said.
Vice President for Finance and Administration Stacy Pearson acted as the “general foreman” for the ILC as it was built. She feels that it is the first building of its kind in regard to its openness, technology and food court all being brought together.
“It’s pretty special,” Pearson said.
The creation of another food court has provided additional jobs for students on campus. According to Aramark employee and Director of Operations Tim Kellen, between the Bits and Bytes Food Court and the new Starbucks located in the Albertsons Library, there are 80 extra student positions to fill, as well as 10 more full-time employee positions. Aramark is the food service vendor on campus.
“It [ILC] means another location for students to get food on the go,” Kellen said.
Cean Siegel
