Technology, Front Desk Highlights of New Ivy Tech Building
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Upon entering the main door of the new Ivy Tech building, students are greeted by a security office to their right and the front desk to the left.
“The first thing for me, as far as functionality, is the front desk,” Tusing said. Having information readily available upon entering the facilities is great, she said.
All the administration for Ivy Tech-Warsaw is right there, including the offices for the dean, financial aid and student services.
A book store is diagonally adjacent to the front desk. Tracie Davis, executive director of marketing and communications for Ivy Tech Community College-North Central, said Ivy Tech outsourced the book store to Follett. Follett will have the book store up and running for Saturday’s kickoff, which starts at 9 a.m.
In the same area are the department offices of Workforce and Economic Development.
Previously, Ivy Tech’s Warsaw campus was in rental facilities. The community got behind Ivy Tech building a new permanent campus, Davis said. The community supported it with funding and not letting the state forget the campus was essential.
The new Ivy Tech includes a lot of technology. There are computer labs, Smart Boards and other pieces of modern equipment.
The library may be one of the most modern libraries in the area. While there are some physical items, the library’s collection of more than 500,000 materials are virtual an can be accessed online.
“From a student’s perspective, I’ve used the virtual library a lot. The search engines are good about getting you to where and what you want,” said Tusing.
“It’s a modern college library,” said Davis.
Trava Buono, library assistant, said very few students actually come to the library. Most search it online.
In the library room, there’s a big window that shines the sun light down on the many computers. Tusing said the library at the old campus was very dark and dismal.
Full-time librarian Tim Keyes said the old library at the old campus was so cramped, some students didn’t even know Ivy Tech had a library.
The library also has two study rooms for students’ use when available, said Tusing.
Buono explained how a student could access any of the books, journals, videos, music and other materials in Ivy Tech’s collection through its website. A student just logs in, goes to the library tab and begins their search from there.
“This is a lot of space we’re not using on paper,” Buono said.
Tusing’s favorite things about the new Ivy Tech is its student deck on the second floor, and the patio on the first floor. The patio can be accessed from the student commons area.
The new building has two sets of stairs, and an elevator. The first set of stairs go down to teacher, adjunct faculty and other offices.
Davis said the building is LEED certified. Where there’s windows on the exterior walls, they face a certain way to allow the maximum amount of light in. The drainage system of the campus site works to reduce runoff to as little as possible onto Silveus Crossing. If a person leaves a room for a certain period of time, the lights automatically turn off.
“Ivy Tech has required that new buildings be LEED certified so it saves the college money,” said Davis.
New furniture will be in place by Saturday for students to sit in between classes, Tusing said. There’s different kind of chairs for different areas of the building.
Retention is very important to Ivy Tech, Davis said. By keeping students on campus between classes, offering them a place to relax or study, students are more likely to stick around.
Tusing said from a student standpoint, the relationships students build on campus are in direct correlation with how well they do in school.
An area made to make students feel comfortable and at home is the student commons area. There, students can eat, use a microwave or the sink.
“This is really, really nice,” Tusing said.
The commons area in the new building is smaller than the old one, but much nicer, Tusing said.
From the commons area is a hallway of computer labs, classrooms and distance learning rooms. One room is a learning lab.
The medical department hosts the first two years of Ivy Tech’s nursing program. From there, students then apply to the Fort Wayne or South Bend campus.
The medical department area hosts the dual credit patient care lab, with Mona Shepherd as the Introduction to Health Care Systems instructor. Also featured in the area are clinical rooms and phlebotomy chairs. Health screenings also will be offered.
Debbie Paul is the interim program chair for medical services.
“I’m excited,” Paul said. ‘I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“This campus will offer things we haven’t been able to offer before,” said Tusing.
The new building is designed for future expansion.[[In-content Ad]]
Upon entering the main door of the new Ivy Tech building, students are greeted by a security office to their right and the front desk to the left.
“The first thing for me, as far as functionality, is the front desk,” Tusing said. Having information readily available upon entering the facilities is great, she said.
All the administration for Ivy Tech-Warsaw is right there, including the offices for the dean, financial aid and student services.
A book store is diagonally adjacent to the front desk. Tracie Davis, executive director of marketing and communications for Ivy Tech Community College-North Central, said Ivy Tech outsourced the book store to Follett. Follett will have the book store up and running for Saturday’s kickoff, which starts at 9 a.m.
In the same area are the department offices of Workforce and Economic Development.
Previously, Ivy Tech’s Warsaw campus was in rental facilities. The community got behind Ivy Tech building a new permanent campus, Davis said. The community supported it with funding and not letting the state forget the campus was essential.
The new Ivy Tech includes a lot of technology. There are computer labs, Smart Boards and other pieces of modern equipment.
The library may be one of the most modern libraries in the area. While there are some physical items, the library’s collection of more than 500,000 materials are virtual an can be accessed online.
“From a student’s perspective, I’ve used the virtual library a lot. The search engines are good about getting you to where and what you want,” said Tusing.
“It’s a modern college library,” said Davis.
Trava Buono, library assistant, said very few students actually come to the library. Most search it online.
In the library room, there’s a big window that shines the sun light down on the many computers. Tusing said the library at the old campus was very dark and dismal.
Full-time librarian Tim Keyes said the old library at the old campus was so cramped, some students didn’t even know Ivy Tech had a library.
The library also has two study rooms for students’ use when available, said Tusing.
Buono explained how a student could access any of the books, journals, videos, music and other materials in Ivy Tech’s collection through its website. A student just logs in, goes to the library tab and begins their search from there.
“This is a lot of space we’re not using on paper,” Buono said.
Tusing’s favorite things about the new Ivy Tech is its student deck on the second floor, and the patio on the first floor. The patio can be accessed from the student commons area.
The new building has two sets of stairs, and an elevator. The first set of stairs go down to teacher, adjunct faculty and other offices.
Davis said the building is LEED certified. Where there’s windows on the exterior walls, they face a certain way to allow the maximum amount of light in. The drainage system of the campus site works to reduce runoff to as little as possible onto Silveus Crossing. If a person leaves a room for a certain period of time, the lights automatically turn off.
“Ivy Tech has required that new buildings be LEED certified so it saves the college money,” said Davis.
New furniture will be in place by Saturday for students to sit in between classes, Tusing said. There’s different kind of chairs for different areas of the building.
Retention is very important to Ivy Tech, Davis said. By keeping students on campus between classes, offering them a place to relax or study, students are more likely to stick around.
Tusing said from a student standpoint, the relationships students build on campus are in direct correlation with how well they do in school.
An area made to make students feel comfortable and at home is the student commons area. There, students can eat, use a microwave or the sink.
“This is really, really nice,” Tusing said.
The commons area in the new building is smaller than the old one, but much nicer, Tusing said.
From the commons area is a hallway of computer labs, classrooms and distance learning rooms. One room is a learning lab.
The medical department hosts the first two years of Ivy Tech’s nursing program. From there, students then apply to the Fort Wayne or South Bend campus.
The medical department area hosts the dual credit patient care lab, with Mona Shepherd as the Introduction to Health Care Systems instructor. Also featured in the area are clinical rooms and phlebotomy chairs. Health screenings also will be offered.
Debbie Paul is the interim program chair for medical services.
“I’m excited,” Paul said. ‘I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“This campus will offer things we haven’t been able to offer before,” said Tusing.
The new building is designed for future expansion.[[In-content Ad]]
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