Next up, College of Education groundbreaking

BY JOANNA NORRIS
Inside UNF, December 2007 - January 2008 V13, N11

For those who like construction, UNF is the place to be, and this is a great time to be here. The University will break ground Jan. 10 on a new College of Education and Human Services Building, the fourth major campus construction project under way.

Contractors are also building a new Student Union, a 1,000-bed residence hall and an addition to the Brooks College of Health.

“The COEHS building will be a stunning addition to the UNF campus. This new facility will provide the support space needed for the University to prepare tomorrow’s leaders and educators,” said UNF President John A. Delaney.

The three-story structure will comprise 98,000 square feet and will cost approximately $27 million. The new building will house classrooms, teaching labs, faculty offices, auditoriums, meeting space and student services.

The new building will enable College of Education and Human Services faculty, staff and programs to be together under one roof for the first time in years.

“Being together under one roof will greatly facilitate our ability to work together collaboratively for the good of our students,” said Dr. Larry Daniel, dean of the College of Education and Human
Services. “The facility will allow us room to grow and expand our outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs, serving us for many years to come.”

The new College of Education Building will include a 6,000-square-foot Disability Resource Center to meet the needs of the increasing number of students with disabilities graduating from UNF, which has tripled over the last academic year. The DRC facility, funded by private contributions, will provide accessible room for additional testing space, an assistive technology lab, classrooms, library, advising and other support functions.

Additionally, the DRC will be able to conduct in-depth instruction for students in such critical areas as learning strategies, assistive technology, independence, self-determination, social skills, leadership as well as rights and responsibilities.

Every year, the COEHS hands out an average of 350 bachelor’s degrees, 200 master’s degrees and 12 doctorate degrees. The College offers 13 bachelor degree programs with 18 concentrations, five master degree programs with 18 concentrations and a doctoral program in Educational Leadership.

Among the many innovative features of the new education building are specially-designed rooms for
teaching methods classrooms and a model technology classroom for preparing educators to work with technology in schools, as well as an American Sign Language lab and a large multi-purpose classroom.

The COEHS Building will follow the Osprey Fountains residence hall, Student Union, Brooks College of Health addition and the Social Sciences Building as the next “green” building on campus, meaning it will use energy-saving measures, recycled materials and natural light to improve the work environment. The Social Sciences Building opened in the fall of 2006 and is the first LEED-certified facility in Jacksonville and the first “green” building on campus.

Baker Barrios Architects in Orlando designed the COEHS Building and Ajax Building Corporation is the construction management firm for the project. The facility is expected to be completed in spring 2009.