Trends: Fall 2012 (Special Edition)

SPECIAL EDITION / FALL 2012 The Magazine for Students, Alumni & Friends

SPECIAL ISSUE

Letter from the President

Greetings, What a time to be a part of the Indiana Tech family! The past few years have included growth and development unlike any period in our past. We have more students living on campus and improved learning facilities for all of our students.

Indiana Tech is not just growing, it’s flourishing. Many of our accomplishments and new initiatives are easy to see. We have more degree programs, more athletic teams, more residence halls, more College of Professional Studies campuses, more online courses, and more students of every type than ever before.

So, what’s next? A “bricks and mortar” addition that will be the “crown jewel” of academic life for our undergraduate students … and our distinguished faculty.

Yes, the new academic center will provide more classrooms, more study space, more library space, more faculty offices. But it also will provide new technology, new ways of collaborating, new cultural experiences, new modes of engaging our students.

This special issue of Trends explores the plans for a new academic center from a variety of viewpoints.

I’m sure you’ll agree this project has the potential to touch every Indiana Tech student in a profound way. If you’d like to know more or would like to discuss how you can support the new academic center, please feel free to contact me or our Office of Institutional Advancement any time. We’d love to share our vision with you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Arthur E. Snyder President

Contents 2 The New Academic Center: Designed for Flexible, Collaborative Learning

8 Criminal Justice Lab will Give Students Advantage in Careers

3 Library of Today and Tomorrow is an Information Center

10 Education Lab will Allow Practical Simulations

5 Space for General Studies Inspires Creativity, Teamwork

12 Auditorium Space Adds Cultural Depth to Student Experience

6 The Plan: The Academic Center in Pictures

Trends SPECIAL EDITION Š 2012 Indiana Institute of Technology Arthur E. Snyder, Ed.D. President Trends is published three times a year for alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of Indiana Tech by the university’s Creative Services department and Office of Institutional Advancement.

Mark Richter

Vice President of Institutional Advancement

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Director of Marketing

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The editors reserve the right to edit articles for length and clarity. Articles may be reproduced with permission and proper attribution.

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SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

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for Flexible, collaborative

learning

Dr. Douglas Perry, vice president for academic affairs, shares his excitement about plans for a new academic center.

Q: What will a new academic center mean for the future of Indiana Tech?

Perry: It will create a new center of gravity on the east end of the campus, balancing the Law School building on the west end. The “gravity” here is campus life in perhaps its most important form: a welcoming environment for scholarship in all its aspects: group learning, solitary study, faculty-student exchange, and exposure to new ideas and new experiences.

Q: Will the classrooms in the new academic center simply provide additional space or will they be different from existing classrooms?

Perry: They will be quite different.

Although plans are still under development, we envision learning spaces that will break out of the front-

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to-back, row-by-row box of conventional classrooms. The new design will possibly incorporate clustered islands with integrated swivel seating that rapidly accommodate everything from passive, full-class learning to active, small-group collaboration. Thanks to modern display technology, there will be no “front” of the room, or rather, every angle of the room will be the front for each student, no matter where each student may look up from their work.

Q: How do you envision students using the study spaces included in the floor plan?

Perry: Individually, collaboratively, spontaneously, and fluidly.

Q: Faculty offices in Zollner Engineering Center and Cunningham Business Center are somewhat scattered throughout the buildings. How do faculty, and by extension students, benefit from having them grouped together more in the new building?

Perry: By intention, function, and design, faculty offices work best for individuals, pairs, and very small groups—the

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social units that work best for the quiet, focused work of scholarship and course preparation; and the thoughtful, calm work of individual mentoring. The gathering of offices off the ground floor will collectively contribute to this climate.

Q: How do the open spaces of the rotunda contribute to the learning environment?

Perry: The rotunda will provide space and light, something we need like air and water. The contribution to learning is subtle but significant: at once relaxing yet stimulating, soothing yet refreshing, this environment will be naturally conducive to learning.

Q: What element of the academic center plan are you most excited about?

Perry: If I have to pick one spot over any other, I would say the library. Libraries are the heart and soul of any campus.

In the new academic center, we will have the opportunity to take McMillen Library—now celebrating its golden anniversary—into the 21st century.

Library of Today and Tomorrow

is an Information Center

Library Director Connie Scott understands that a library is much, much more than a place to house books.

Q: It’s easy for people to jump to the conclusion that less reliance on books and other printed materials means

libraries can be smaller. But how does the changing role of the library actually create a need for more space?

Scott: The academic library’s primary role to support the research and resource needs of the university’s community remains the same; however the role is changing much like the rest of society.

In the past libraries were noted for their print collections and holdings but now the emphasis is on service and teaching.

SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

Teaching information literacy, a skill that is essential in today’s knowledge-based industry, equips students with strong critical thinking skills for the workplace.

Providing physical space to support the diverse learning needs of students and a connection with our community are guiding principles to expand the library.

In a 2005 survey on the importance of campus facilities and student enrollment

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Library of Today and Tomorrow is an Information Center, continued

decisions, conducted by consulting company Carter & Burgess, the library was considered one of the top buildings for university selection. In terms of numbers, our gate count has more than doubled in the past three years. We had 55,000 visitors in 2009-10; 79,000 visitors in 2010-11; and 115,000 visitors in 2011-12. Enlarging our spaces, add seating and computers, allows us to attract and accommodate even more users. The new academic center library will ensure accessibility and flexibility for both students and faculty. It will be the destination place for the information consumer.

Q: How involved have you and your staff been in planning the new library?

Scott: We began by brainstorming ideas in October 2010, when the university held Campus Conversations on a new academic building. Much like other stakeholders, we saw the need for a multipurpose space with state-of-the-art technology that would offer more work and seating space. We also created a folder of research articles and industry best practices to support our proposals and generate even more ideas. In the summer of 2011, I met with the members of the pre-construction team to discuss the building and schematic design. It was an opportunity to unfold the vision for the library based upon staff input.

In 1962, Trustee Dale W. McMillen Sr., leader of the fundraising campaign for the McMillen library, expressed the necessity for teamwork in his remarks at the ceremony dedicating the library in his honor: “I can accept the honor only if you and the generations that follow will remember that what has been accomplished was not by my efforts alone. There were many involved, as I hope there will always be.”

Q: What are some of the features of the new library that students will appreciate most?

Scott: I think the students will appreciate the progressive expansion of different types of space. Learning spaces are reflective of today’s workplaces that are more collaborative in nature. The new library will have at least seven study rooms for those who need separate areas for concentration or group study. We envision the first floor as an activity zone for active learning. We also plan to have movable furniture and flexible technology workstations. Commuter students may store belongings in cubicle-like locker space. The 2nd floor will be a soundless haven for reflection. The addition of study carrels will create an atmosphere of serious study. Data ports and small kiosk-like charging stations will provide information about campus activities and Indiana Tech’s rich history.

Q: How do you envision the seminar room being used?

Scott: The seminar room will be the center of information literacy instruction. It will be a high-tech learning lab designed for interaction between librarian and student. The 2012 State of America’s Libraries Report from the American Library Association addresses the need for the library to partner with faculty to ensure that students can academically search, evaluate and cite sources. “Most students entering college in the fall of 2011 acknowledged that they lacked the research skills needed to complete assignments and be successful in an information-intensive economy; a survey of incoming first-year students found that 60% do not evaluate the quality or reliability of information; 75% do not know how to locate research articles and resources; and 44% do not know how to integrate knowledge from different sources.”

We are taking that statement to heart as it involves all of us to make this vision a reality. It is a team effort.

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Q: Do you think being located in an academic building will change the way students and faculty use the library?

Scott: Absolutely! Being in close proximity to the College of General Studies will only enhance our current relationship. I view it as the anchor to the academic programs.

Much like a Macy’s or a JCPenney’s bring stability and their unique brand to a retail mall, the new library will be a visible connection to students and faculty. I also have prompted discussion with the Library Committee of the Faculty Senate on what a faculty-focused library/learning center could offer. An instructional technology center staffed by a team of digital cybrarians will assist faculty in creating and exploring new technologies (e.g. Moodle, Camtasia, Smart Boards, podcasting, and iClicker student response systems). I am also leading an academic instructional technology advisory group to discover new teaching technologies for the university. Knowledge is being distributed in a variety of electronic formats. Today’s K-12 students have thoroughly embraced this media and will expect higher educational institutions to expose them to even more applications.

Chalk and chalkboards have gone the way of the typewriter. Indiana Tech must remain relevant and innovative with educational technologies. The new library will provide a collaborative place of study, learning, and instruction to serve the needs of students and faculty.

for General Studies

Inspires Creativity, Teamwork As dean of the College of General Studies, Dr. Doty Latuszek oversees some of the fastest growing degree programs at the university as well as core general education courses for all students.

Q: What will it mean for the College of General Studies to have a “home” in the new academic center?

Latuszek: The College of General Studies is excited to be located in the new academic center. We are considering a variety of ways we can support the student learning outcomes within the humanities courses with the location and flexible design of the theater; we also hope to augment our music and art appreciation courses with activities in the new spaces. Also, we will be able to be more creative in developing and revising courses to incorporate the new theater space for student readings of prose and/or poetry as well as other forms of the arts.

Some of our criminal justice faculty members and an English faculty member would like to develop and team-teach a course on the literature of crime. One might not think that the tight schedule

of classrooms could prohibit such a collaborative effort, but it does. Our criminal justice and psychology programs are currently collaborating with a course entitled Forensic Psychology. With the opening of the new academic center, I anticipate additional creative and collaborative endeavors within the College of General Studies. Sharing the building with the library also will provide enhanced opportunities for our students. This is an exciting and dynamic time at Indiana Tech, and the College of General Studies looks forward to this new phase of growth.

Q: What benefits will students see from additional classroom space on campus?

Latuszek: The additional classroom space will allow us to offer courses with more flexibility. For example, the Intro to Cinema course would be able to meet one day for two hours to view a film and meet the second day for one hour to analyze and discuss the film. We do not have that flexibility currently with our classrooms.

Also, increasing the number of classrooms supports our commitment to relationshipbased education. Additional sections of courses, which are essential to keeping our classes sizes small, are limited with the current classroom capacity.

SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

In addition to the increased classroom space, the new academic center will also contain a variety of meeting and study rooms. Meeting rooms will allow space for students and faculty to collaborate.

Some study rooms will be connected directly to classrooms, so that designated small groups can work on aspects of a project while others can work on different activities. Some study rooms will allow for students to gather outside class for work on group projects, and smaller study rooms will allow individual reflection.

Q: How will this building help faculty take advantage of today’s technology in their teaching?

Latuszek: The use of technology in higher education is changing the landscape of student learning, and its use is expanding exponentially. The new academic center will have eight classrooms, all multimediaequipped to enable the use of resources like video streaming, teleconferencing, DVDs and other instructional media. The faculty in the College of General Studies enthusiastically look forward to further incorporating it into their classes.

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The

Plan

New acade m ic cente r

BUILDING SIZE 60,000 square feet

TIMELINE:

18 months from groundbreaking (May 2013) to occupancy (January 2015)

“We do good things now, but the lab will help us do fantastic things.”

– Dr. Brad Yoder director, School of Education

DESIGN:

Two wings joined at a rotunda; two finished levels, unfinished lower level

$

– Dr. Steve Hundersmarck director, Center for Criminal Sciences

TOTA L CO ST: $15 Million

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“The Criminal Justice lab is a game changer. … Instead of listening students will be doing and thinking.”

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A b out t h e li b r a ry McMillen Library design is two stories with a total of almost 12,000 square feet, more than double the size of the current library

A b out t h e M AT Two stories featuring flexible seating arrangements, staging, lighting, and sound to accommodate a wide array of usage

A b out t h e acade m ic w in g In addition to two stories of classrooms, study rooms, and faculty offices, the academic wing will have an unfinished lower level to accommodate future growth.

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Criminal Justice Lab Will Give Students

in Careers

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Dr. Steve Hundersmarck, director of the Center for Criminal Sciences, has seen steadily growing enrollment in the criminal justice degree programs. A lab planned for the new academic center is especially beneficial to those in the most popular specialty, crime analysis.

Q: What types of activities/lessons will take place in the computer sciences lab?

Hundersmarck: Students will work on a variety of lessons and projects in the multifunction facility.

• Students will use the lab to process mock crime scenes. Using the open space of the lab they will come into a crime scene as evidence techs and process the scene for evidence.

• They will conduct forensic analysis at lab stations. Students will use microscopes, chemicals, infrared/ultraviolet light, and digital analysis to gather and examine evidence. Examination of trace evidence, firearms evidence, fingerprints and biological evidence will be conducted at the lab stations.

• Students will use computer software to digitally examine evidence and crime scene images. Mobile software stations also will allow students to digitally examine and enhance evidence from the crime scenes.

• Students also will use computers to complete crime scene drawings for presentation in the courtroom as evidence.

• Computer stations also will allow students to map crime and discern trends for analysis.

Q: How do students benefit from the lab work?

Hundersmarck: Students will benefit in a

number of ways. On a larger scale students will engage in project-based learning.

Learning using PBL is superior to using only traditional lecture. By having the tools readily on hand students will be engaged in their learning through problem solving.

Students will have access to and training in the latest techniques and tools before they become a practitioner. This advanced training and knowledge will give them an advantage over other students in the field.

Learning will be enhanced. As opposed to using a text or book students will have access to real-life applications. Learning will be significantly different for students at Tech.

Q: How/where do you conduct those activities/lessons now?

Hundersmarck: Currently we use homes or property that becomes available offcampus for crime scene processing. We also use our current classroom, which is beginning to show the wear and tear of fake blood, fingerprint powder, and other crime scene props we use. We can only demonstrate techniques now on a limited basis. Quite often we rely on textbook descriptions.

Q: What types of equipment will be in the lab?

Hundersmarck: I envision lab stations on the perimeter of the lab itself. The lab stations would contain vented stations for some chemical analysis. The labs would also be utilized for microscopic work and would contain computer stations used in conjunction with the lab equipment or as stand-alone computer stations. As such these would be multi-function spaces. The main floor would have an open design where it could be used as a mock crimescene or as a classroom facility. There would be a need for some furniture that could double as student seating, storage or other use. We would need an instructor area complete with tech-cart and projection

SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

equipment. There also will need to be a dark area used for digital lighting and illumination for photography and evidence location.

Q: How will this lab set us apart from criminal science programs at other colleges?

Hundersmarck: The lab equipment will allow us to contribute to the community. Some of the equipment is not available to criminal justice and other public agencies in the community. We would allow them to use the equipment to benefit victims of crime.

In that way, the equipment would benefit the community as well as the university.

No other program in the area has any facility on par with this lab. It will give our students a direct advantage with employers if they have expertise with equipment and techniques coming into the job environment. Prospective students are impressed now with the limited materials that we have on hand. Bringing prospective students into a lab is even more impressive to students and parents.

More importantly the lab and equipment allow us to use problem-based learning with our students. It further commits us to relevant instruction that engages students as opposed to relying on passive listening methods. Students will have to engage in different levels of problem solving working with their fellow students. A student will walk into a crime scene and will have to collect, analyze, and record evidence. They will then have to critically examine and compile the evidence with the case facts using approved techniques of examination and analysis. Critical thinking will become necessary for students.

The lab is a game changer. We will move away from traditional methods of instruction—instead of listening students will be doing and thinking.

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Education Lab Will Allow

Practical Simulations

Programs in the School of Education incorporate an extensive amount of field experience for our future teachers.

Dr. Brad Yoder, director, is looking forward to using a lab in the academic center to add additional “real world� type experiences to the program.

Q: What types of activities/lessons will take place in the education lab?

Yoder: We understand that our students learn best by doing, so we will use the education lab to better incorporate project based learning into our curriculum.

Additionally, we will use the lab to create real world scenarios while working with our community education partners.

Q: How do students benefit from the lab activities?

Yoder: The lab will simulate a real classroom where our pre-service teachers can

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demonstrate what they are learning in authentic ways.

be a space that will allow for outstanding teaching and learning.

Q: How do you conduct those activities now?

Yoder: We work very hard to provide quality learning experiences for our students, but we are limited to existing classrooms for simulation because we do not have an education lab available for our learning needs. In other words, we do good things now, but the lab will help us do fantastic things.

Q: How will this lab set us apart from education programs at other colleges?

Yoder: This lab will truly be unique. We will have a learning environment second to none. Our students will be able to demonstrate their learning in ways that simulate real teaching. Most education programs cannot provide this for their students.

Q: What features and equipment will be in the education lab?

Yoder: The lab will have resources for interactive experiences: state-of-the-art technology, a retractable wall for behindthe-glass analysis while observing student interactions, furnishings that will easily convert for P-16 students. Overall, it will

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Q: Will there be opportunities for area K-12 students and teachers to be involved in lab activities?

Yoder: Absolutely, K-12 students and teachers will continue to be significant to our program. I see ongoing opportunities for Tech to engage with our partners through lab experiences.

SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

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Auditorium Space Adds cultural depth

to Student Q.: How do cultural events such as concerts, plays, and poetry readings enhance campus life at a school where programs are focused on practical career preparation?

Stork: For me, college was such a complete educational experience. I really grew into who I was in my years at Indiana Tech. I attended several of the campus life programs at school and learned about things that you can’t learn in class: pro-social activities, hobbies, community, diversity, self-esteem, and how to break out of my social shell. I involved myself in the talent shows, the Super Bowl parties … I remember a magic show during lunch, I remember a couple of “Freaky Fridays,” as they were called. These programs enhance the experience for several reasons: a) You get to know your fellow classmates; b) I don’t ever recall it costing anything for me to experience student life events! Which is awesome, because as a student...I was always broke. c) You get to know the teachers outside the classroom! I think one of my favorite things about Indiana Tech is the involvement of the teachers.

There were several teachers, coaches, etc. that I would see not only attending student life events but participating. It was the coolest thing ever to see them in such an informal atmosphere. It makes approaching them with questions about

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things like job references and career aspirations, really easy.

McGrade: Live performances and guest speakers enhance students’ academic experience by providing learning experiences that engage them differently than traditional classroom experiences.

Live performance asks students to engage all of their senses and to suspend their disbelief. Such experiences also increase the chances that students will engage in lifelong learning and personal development by seeking out speakers and attending performances in the future and in their own communities.

Check: Cultural events can add texture and context to their in-class educational experience. These types of experiences can enrich the well-roundedness of the student’s life experiences and expose them to new ideas, cultures, and thoughts.

Q.: If we’d had a facility like this when you were a student, would you have wanted to perform there?

Stork: Absolutely! Once there is a facility like this at Tech, I would even think about performing there now (of course, if the rest of my band and management are OK with it). I give Indiana Tech credit for getting me involved in singing and song

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writing. If it wasn’t for the talent shows, the open mic nights, and the national anthems I sang at Indiana Tech, I wouldn’t have had any interest in pursuing a music career. The biggest reason I did any of these things was because the students and teachers at Indiana Tech begged me to. I was too nervous, too shy. Now, I’m a recording artist with “Unboxed Records,” have an EP with 5 singles out on iTunes and have a full album due out spring 2013. Indiana Tech helped me find a career and a hobby that I hope turns into a career.

Q.: Has Student Life had ideas for events that the campus just couldn’t accommodate in the past, but would be able to with the new space?

Check: We try to be flexible and adaptive and take our events to where the students are, so we have been able to reach the bulk of our ideas. However, there have been experiences we have just had to say, “Not yet,” to because of spatial constraints. Event ideas we have postponed due to the challenges inherent to hosting them are a step troupe, multi-person bands, UV-light dependent or other laser light events, and an experimental contemporary dance group. Space size, electrical access, lighting, and the increased usage of Andorfer Commons by our growing

The multi-flex auditorium and theater (MAT, if you’d like) will serve a variety of people in a variety of ways. To get some perspective on its value, we asked a staff member, a faculty member, and a recent graduate to share their views: Andrea Check, director of student life; Dr. Susan McGrade, associate professor of English; and Staci Stork, BSCJ 2009 and singer/ songwriter with the band Scarlett.

Naming Opportunities We are grateful for all donations toward the new academic center. However, we have established several specific areas for recognition of donors. If you would like to discuss one of the naming opportunities listed below, please contact Mark Richter at 260.399.2816.

Area Gift amount Building $6,000,000 Academic Wing/Hall

campus community have pressed our ability to take on those types of initiatives.

Q.: What are some examples of how you envision the multi-flex auditorium and theater being used?

McGrade: Professor Steve Malloris and I will use the space when we teach HUM 3380 The Shakespeare Experience. During this course, we travel to view Shakespeare performances in Stratford, Ontario.

The course culminates in student productions of selected scenes from various Shakespeare plays. We will be sure to use the space for those performances. This is just one example. I’m sure we’ll find many other uses that align with our coursework.

Check: There is very little limit to the potential for how we can use such a flexible space. From interactive improv troupes, to progressive concert experiences which move from the exterior patio in through the large hangar-style doors to the interior, to visiting cultural arts exhibits, the options for meeting the needs and interests of a diverse student population will be more reachable.

Additionally, with the right capability of multiple, flexible projection in a space with highly controlled lighting, the options for digital exhibitions or interactive experiences increase dramatically. Yet, at the core of our programming, there will remain the philosophy that the students themselves will drive our direction and challenge our innovation.

$3,000,000

Laboratories (2)

$200,000

Classrooms (8)

$150,000

VPAA Office

$100,000

Meeting Room

$75,000

Conference Rooms (3)

$50,000

Faculty Offices (16)

$15,000

Study Rooms (11)

$10,000

Multi-Flex Auditorium & Theater

$2,000,000

Patio Area

$100,000

Stage Set

$75,000

Green Room

$50,000

Dressing Rooms (2)

$25,000

Office

$25,000

$10,000

Box Office

McMillen Library

Lobby & Entrance

$150,000

Seminar Room

$100,000

Large Rooms (4)

Librarian Office

$25,000

Study Rooms (7)

$10,000

$75,000

Rotunda $500,000 Art Gallery

$250,000

Café & Study Lounge

$150,000

SPECIAL EDITION: THE NEW ACADEMIC CENTER

Fall 2012

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