by Mark Schaaf
Daily Lobo
Due to a lack of space in the communication and journalism building, teaching assistant Ruben Ramirez said instructors have been forced to move public speaking classes to Mitchell Hall.
"We need to engage in media, but there we don't have the facilities to do it," he said.
By 2007, the department hopes a $4 million renovation will amend that problem.
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The communication and journalism department hosted a carnival on Friday afternoon to celebrate the renovation, which is scheduled to begin shortly after the semester ends.
About 100 people, many students and faculty of the department, attended the event, which included music, slam poetry, free food and drinks.
The department also showcased their plans for the building, which will include more than double the amount of current classroom space, said John Oetzel, communication and journalism chairman.
The state-of-the-art building will also feature wireless Internet, a computer lab, four classrooms dedicated to public speaking and lounge space for undergraduate students.
"We're excited about the possibilities for what we can do with this new space," Oetzel said. "What we're really trying to do is create an inviting space for people to come and stay."
The department has been trying to make plans and raise money to use the first-floor space since it was vacated about 10 years ago, Oetzel said.
Construction is scheduled to start soon after the semester ends, he said. The summer will be used to implement the infrastructure, which includes heating, plumbing and electric lines, Oetzel said.
When school begins in the fall, construction crews will work around classes. Oetzel said he expects the renovations to be completed in time for the 2007 spring semester.
A bond issue approved by the Board of Regents last June is funding the project.
The two-hour event featured a 20-minute program hosted by alumna Jennifer Riordan. Riordan, who graduated in 1999, said she remembers having to walk across campus to take journalism classes in Dane Smith Hall because the communication and journalism building lacked space.
"This project has been on our minds for so long, and it's great to finally see it happening," she said.
The department also offered people the chance to buy bricks, which will be displayed near the building and include the donors' names. Big donations could result in naming rights for the new rooms, Oetzel said.
Student Steve Randazzo said although graduation will prevent him from enjoying the renovations, the project is long overdue.
"It's already a great program, and I think just having a nice building will only enhance it," he said. "I think overall it just brings the faculty and students of C & J together."
