University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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1. The new furniture has built in charging ports for the students’ con¬ venience. 2 . New high-top tables with charging outlets and backpack hooks replaced the old ones. 3. New, modern conches replaced old recliners. 4. The Union Tech Spot also got a face lift with a new light np desk. UNION RENOVATIONl 15

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IN WITH THE NEW Union gets sleek design with renovations DESIGNER | Megan Wilson STORY | Jordan Tyler PHOTOS | Mary Helen Brighton The Arkansas Student Union Living Hoorn was revitalized last summer to provide students with newer, more comfortable furniture and easier access to teeli support and computer lab amenities, such as printing and more peisonalized desktops. The renovations started spring 2017 and continued into the fall semester, but were largely com pi ( ' ted before ' the first day of classes. The computer lab, Help Desk, Information Center, and stairwell all underwent reconstructions, and new furniture was installed in the Union Living Hoorn. The project bad three main components: the computer lab, the living room furniture, and the stairwell. The idea for the renovations originated when leaders in the Information Technology (IT) Services department realized bow beneficial a central Help Desk location could be for students and faculty seeking tech support. They approached Union leadership and Facilities Management with these ideas, w ho immediately jumped on board to collaboratively create a cohesive and energizing environment “From w hat I gather, the Union leadership charge is the same as ours — ensuring convenient student access to services that w ill help bolster their educational experience,” said Paige Francis, associate chief information officer for IT Services. “We re hoping to drive a culture of excitement surrounding innovation. The Union took this opportunity to optimize the space with the new furniture and a set of long study tables. They also redesigned the Information ( enter and the stairwell leading up to the sixth floor to increase visibility. “It was time to do something tin students would see and benefit from very obviously, and this was the right opportunity for that,” said Union Director HohStagni. Ethan Wasliispack, junior supply chain management major, said the renovations made the space feel much more inviting and Arkansas- themed. “I remember before they just bad a bunch of random furniture in here,” said Wasliispack. “It just looked really cluttered.” Aside from brand new furniture, the seating capacity in the Living Hoorn was nearly doubled and the number of outlets was also increased. A group of lookers was added in front of the Information Center, designed to give students a way to securely charge their phones on campus. “So far my expectations have been blow n away,” said Director Stagni. “it s pretty packed down there. I ve been very happy, and 1 hope the students have been happy too. 14 | FALL

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modernization the School of Journalism and Strategic Media and Stu¬ dent Media, began summer 2017 and continued through¬ out the school year, wrapping up by fall 2018 with the completion of the rest of the first floor and the Student Media ( enter oil the west side of the building. As of fall 2017, the hack end of the first floor of Kinipel was revamped with straighter hallways, newer class¬ rooms, more offices for journalism faculty, and private studios for students. Over the course of the year, the Student Media ( enter transformed the small courtyard into a media studio and central huh for all student media organizations. Gerald Jordan, associate journalism professor and emeri¬ tus, has taught at the university for over 22 years and said he has seen the first floor of Kinipel go through a number of changes. He said he was glad for the renovations and looks forward to the ways in which the Student Media ( enter will bring the journalism school together and increase ' its presence on campus. Jordan said the improved lighting was one of the greatest improvements, because it takes away from the whole idea of it being a dank basement. Ile also said renovations provided a space where students could build a sense of camaraderie. Along with these renovations came a name change for the journalism program from the Walter J. Leinke Depart¬ ment of Journalism to the School of Journalism and Media ( enter, was proposed and accomplished by Larry Foley, chair of the School of Journalism and Student Media, with the help of funding from Sue Walk Burnett, a distinguished alumnae of this very journalism program. According to Foley, the department was long due for a name change to place it among the ranks of other highly accredited journalism programs at colleges across the nation. In fact, when researching the potential of a name change, Foley said he realized the department already qualified as a school in everything hut name.” ‘There is something in a name, and our name needed to be changed to reflect who we have grown to become,” Foley said. Alex Xicoll, editor-in-chief of The Arkansas Traveler, said he thought the renovations were crucial for Student Media ' s visibility on campus and ability to collaborate. I remember the past couple of years wo called it the dun¬ geon’ as a joke, Xicoll said. He added, “I’ve had a lot of people come and talk to me about how fresh and amazing this whole place is. Foley agreed with Xicoll by saying, Bight now, we re hidden off in the basement when 1 nobody (wens knows we exist. Thats not going to be the case anymore. A r