Page 3 - College Planning & Management, March 2019

Campus Scene IN THE SPOTLIGHT
New Student Center at East Carolina University
THE NEW CAMPUS STUDENT CENTER at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, NC, designed by Perkins+Will, opened in January. The 214,000-square- foot campus gateway will advance the student experience and reflect the distinctive ECU culture and values.
In addition to replacing an outdated 1970s student union building, ECU’s original objective was to design a multipurpose student center envisioned as a venue for cultural, educational, arts, recreation, and hospitality uses.
An eclectic mix of spaces support the needs of 29,000 individual students and more than 500 student organizations. These include: eight dining and retail venues; multiple lounges, study rooms, and a gaming center, a 14,000-square-foot ballroom, dividable into three rooms; multipurpose conference space for student functions, alumni gatherings, and community uses; a 250-seat black box theater; and a five-level, 724-space parking deck.
A 10,000-square-foot commons experience anchors the internal circulation by providing a Main Street artery with natural gathering spots. Natural light fills the internal spaces. The smart-glass windows respond via sensor technology to the level of sun exposure throughout the day, adjusting tint and shading to control interior temperature and the amount of light coming into the building.
Ask the Expert
This Month
Student Safety
Can technology contribute to student safety and well-being?
STUDENT SAFETY IS A TOP CONCERN.
Colleges and universities want solutions that will help them to support students’ mental health and well being, as well as guard against potential threats. Often the first area of con- sideration is physical enhancements, such as security cameras and bulletproof glass, which can make a real difference but can inhibit
the educational mission. Now many schools are turning to solutions that address student mental health and well-being, which are often at the root of school safety issues, with more extensive use of digital safeguarding.
Digital safeguarding can provide valuable insight into students’ mindsets and can also alert staff if students make—or are discussing— threats of violence to themselves or to others. As the use of mobile technology in the classroom grows, digital safeguarding can be one of the best ways to detect potential safety concerns. Early notification allows schools to investigate and address concerns before they get out of hand.
A recent survey of school counselors found that paper-based record keeping is the most common practice to record information on student well-being and mental health issues. Experience suggests that the era of informal record keeping is being replaced by auditable recording of student safety incidents and the actions taken by schools. Schools can also look for solutions that allow them to integrate, analyze, and store student safety data digitally in order to improve efficiency and inform counseling sessions or other interventions.
Campus administrators can play an active role in addressing safety through policy, fund- ing, and implementation of digitized safeguard- ing solutions or other technology.
Richard Fuller is CEO of Impero Software (www.imperosoftware.com/us), which pro- vides student safety and device monitoring and management solutions. He can be reached at 844/346-7376 or rfuller@imperosoftware.com.
Troy University Wins Green Award
Troy University’s commitment to sustainability, wellness, and reducing the environmental impact of the campus has earned it a spot on the Alabama State Department of Education’s list of Green Ribbon Schools.
The university, based in Troy, AL, was recently announced as the 2019 Green Ribbon School. The award honors innovative efforts to reduce environ- mental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and promote envi- ronmental and sustainability education.
Troy was recognized for a number of
“green” initiatives on campus, including the construction of Janice Hawkins Cul- tural Arts Park, which involved stream restoration and invasive species removal in partnership with the Choctawhatchee- Pea and Yellow River Watershed Manage- ment Authority, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and the Daniel Foundation.
The university will also lead the way in researching plastic recycling thanks to a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology that will establish the Center for Materi- als and Manufacturing Science.
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MARCH 2019 / COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 3