The first floor of Jordan Hal, where many academic offices are moving to. Photo by Henry Weinberg.
ELLIE ALLEN | STAFF REPORTER | emallen2@butler.edu
As of result of the College of Education’s move from Jordan Hall to South Campus, many academic offices are moving to fill the new space in Jordan. The goal is to move all of academic services for students to the first floor of Jordan. These relocations began Aug. 13.
The biggest changes are on the first floor. There will also be a few offices relocating to the basement, west end and second floor. The first floor will house several major academic offices in Jordan 109, which will serve as a central point for academic enrichment. Theses offices will now house the honors program, undergraduate research, the Center for Citizenship and Community, and prestigious scholarships and fellowships. This area will also include several administrative offices.
Many of these offices were previously located in Jordan 153. Now, however, there will be space dedicated to office reception, and an office that has been converted into a conference room and Honors adjunct faculty.
Dacia Charlesworth, the director of Undergraduate Research and Prestigious Scholarships, said the change gives directors better access to students and collaboration with their colleagues.
“We were all grateful that Provost Kate Morris met with us all to share her rationale for the move and for empowering us to discover new ways our three programs can better serve students,” Charlesworth said.
Charlesworth also said she is excited her new office will give her a better view.
“Personally, I am very pleased with my new office as I now have two windows that open,” Charlesworth said. “As a birder, I have placed safflower seeds in the ledge of one window and also affixed an acrylic bird feeder to one window.”
Many students also find the move to be a positive change. Brooke Blevins, a sophomore human communication and organizational leadership major, said the move will give students an open environment. Before the move, the honors student board, of which Blevins is a member, would meet in classrooms.
“Before it was mainly just offices, but now there is much more open space for students to actually go in and utilize,” Blevins said. “I am hoping that it will help honors students have their own area whether it be for groups to meet or individuals to study.”
Other offices that have shifted include the Center for Global Education, now housed in Jordan 133, Registration and Records, now in Jordan 180, and the Lacy School of Business Executive Education and MBA program, now in Jordan 171.
Jill McKinney, director of study abroad, said the hardest part about the move was the quick time frame. However, she said everything was carefully organized so each office could make their changes efficiently.
“Each office was timed to move in order, truly like dominos falling,” McKinney said. “It was a group exercise that required patience and flexibility, but we all had the end goal in mind.”
This goal allowed the Center for Global Education to be housed in the same office.
“Being housed in one location allows my staff to cross-train, collaborate and more easily communicate,” McKinney said. “We are now the one-stop shop for international initiatives which will absolutely enhance the experience for the students we serve.”
