Photo by Marie Nalan
BY MARIE NALAN
The dust has settled for department relocation at Drake.
On Oct. 12, the last of the organization relocations were completed in the wake of the Collier-Scripps and the Science Connector Building constructions. A total of 12 organizations switched buildings. As several academic departments moved into the Collier-Scripps building, several campus organizations took their places in the older facilities.
The School of Education, the Mathematics and Computer Science Departments, and the Ray Center moved from their previous locations into Collier-Scripps in early August. Finishing Oct. 12, Human Resources, Head Start, the Ray Society, I Have a Dream, Drake International, Community Engagement, Adult Literacy and Drake Online moved into the spaces those four academic departments once inhabited.
According to Drake Finance and Administration’s Kelly Foster, who worked in communications during the relocation process, this project’s main focuses were to move the STEM programs and School of Education into new spaces and to also let other on-campus organizations fill into the old spaces efficiently.
The first project was moving departments into Collier-Scripps. She explained that it was “great for Drake” that the STEM programs and the School of Education were getting new facilities. The Collier-Scripps building moves occurred in August and the building had its grand opening in early October. Classes have been occurring in the building, and those involved say it is going well.
Dr. Thomas Buckmiller, part of the education leadership faculty in the School of Education, said the new space has been working well for his team.
“The people make the department,” he said. “The people make the school. We have good people in the School of Education, and we would do well wherever we are. With that being said, it’s an inspiring work environment. My team is all together within a pod, so our efficiency level has been enhanced. It’s nice to have break-out spaces, zips, meeting spaces. It allows for better collaboration.”
With Buckmiller’s department and more moving to Collier-Scripps, there was an opportunity for the eight other on-campus groups in need of new facilities to move into the old STEM and School of Education office spaces.
Foster and the rest of the team, especially Facilities Planning and Management’s Michelle Huggins, tried to make sure that the new spaces would be distributed efficiently. In the past, offices had been distributed more randomly, considering there were so few open spaces. With this chance to reorganize, there was more of a focus on what groups should be put where.
“We had to identify who works with who most often, who would be an ideal department for you to coincide with,” Foster said. “For example, we decided that Drake International, Community Engagement and Adult Literacy have synergies, so they would be a good working department in one space.”
Foster said that “having the faculty and staff be so open as we figured out how to make it work for them” made the project effective.
Foster hopes the rest of the semester will go well for the Collier-Scripps moves and the new trickle-down moves.
“I’ve heard feedback from several departments on how easy and well-communicated this process was,” Foster said. “We know that moving is stressful for everyone, so it was great to hear that all the planning and work that took place for months made such an impact.”
After all the relocation work, Drake is ready to get back down to business in their new spaces. More information can be found at oncampus.wp.drake.edu.
Where they moved
The Ray Center: Collier-Scripps Hall 2702 Forest Ave., Lower Level
School of Education: Collier Scripps Hall 2702 Forest Ave., 1st and 2nd Levels
Mathematics and Computer Science Departments: Collier Scripps Hall 2702 Forest Ave., 3rd Level
Human Resources: 3206 University Ave., Suite 100
Head Start: 3206 University Ave., Suite 124
The Ray Society: 3206 University Ave., Suite 123
I Have a Dream: 3206 University Ave., Suite 212
DRake International: 1213 25th St., North Entrance
Community Engagement: 1213 25th St., South Entrance
Adult Literacy: 1213 25th St., Lower Level
Drake Online: Carnegie Hall, Room 103 and 104
