VALDOSTA —
Tuesday morning officially marked the beginning of construction on a new academic building at Valdosta State University.
Though the university has teemed with construction over the years, the Psychology and Counseling Building will be the first academic facility built at VSU in nine years, said Dr. Patrick J. Schloss, president.
The approximately $5 million facility is being constructed with assistance from the university’s strategic budget process.
Nine years ago, enrollment was at approximately 9,000 students. Today, enrollment for the fall of 2010 is expected to exceed 13,000. This makes the construction vital in the university’s academic space, Schloss said.
“This building signifies another development in Valdosta State’s commitment to enhancing its academic mission,” Schloss said.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the demolition of the north wing of Converse Hall in January of this year.
The demolition of a portion of the residence hall will mean the university will lose 40 beds for students, but it will make way for a three-story building that will house classrooms, laboratories, clinical space, and administrative offices for the Department of Psychology and Counseling, administrative offices for the graduate school and sponsored programs and research administration.
Construction on the 33,000-square-foot facility will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by July 2011.
After reviewing several projects, it was determined that moving the Department of Psychology and Counseling to the main campus would be both cost effective and beneficial to the university, Schloss said.
It will be one of the only facility’s built in the state this year solely on institutional resources, he said.
The department is currently housed in a building on the corner of Gordon Street and Patterson Street in a facility connected to the Georgia Power building, a half a mile from main campus.
It was determined that students spend about an hour a day commuting to and from main campus to the psychology building.
The psychology and counseling program is one of the biggest departments at the university. This fall 2,000 students will attend psychology classes, and the department has 700 majors, Dr. Phil Gunter, interim vice president of academic affairs, said.
The building will provide the university with clinical and research space as well as classrooms and offices, Gunter said.
The Savannah-based firm Elkins Constructors Inc. is the general contractor, and Valdosta-based Ellis, Ricket and Associates is providing architectural services.
Converse Hall has a long history at VSU.
According to “The College History Series” written by VSU archivist Deborah Davis, the original Converse Hall was the first building constructed on campus.
The building was named for W.L. Converse who advanced the college $15,000 for construction.
The building was a combination of dormitory and administrative offices. The original building was destroyed by fire on April 14, 1978, and a new Converse Hall opened in 1981.
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Related Photos
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The dirt flies for the official groundbreaking of the new Psychology and Counseling Building to be built on the Valdosta State University main campus. Pictured, from left, are Phil Gunter, interim provost; Traycee Martin, interim vice president for finance and administration; Karla Hull, interim dean of graduate school; Bob Bauer, Department of Psychology and Counseling head; Meagan Wood, psychology student; VSU President Dr. Patrick Schloss; Bill Stinson of Elkins Constructors; and Alan Sanderson of Ellis, Ricket & Associates. Paul Leavy
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Valdosta State University President Dr. Patrick Schloss speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Psychology and Counseling Building to be built on the main campus. Paul Leavy
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Faculty, staff, students and friends of the Valdosta State University community listen as VSU President Dr. Patrick Schloss talks about the need for a new academic facility on campus. Paul Leavy
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Artist's rendering of the new VSU project.
Discussion
VSU marks beginning of construction on new Psychology and Counseling Building
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