Lounging for Education

By: Christopher Beuschel

Posted: 3/2/10

An important part of any college campus is the availability of places where students can relax and socialize outside of the lecture hall. Visit any college campus and you'll find these student lounges strewn about, often specialized for the department they are located in. Beyond providing a welcoming appeal for students, these provide a unique environment less rigorous than a classroom and allow for better collaboration than a dorm room.

Recently, the Physics department has been putting into motion several renovations, which includes adding a lounge exclusively for physics majors. In July 2007, a reorganization of the Science and Math department into separate offices left the Physics department with an opportunity to create this space for their students. Previously, the space was a conference room, but the Physics faculty felt the floor space could be better used to realize what department head Dr. Bahram Roughani describes as a focus on "student learning outcomes:" peer instruction and collaboration. Students can work through assignments together, in an environment which encourages close interaction of students and faculty alike. This is one of several steps the department is taking to move toward a new learning-versus-lecture focus in their curriculum. The lounge includes the standard amenities - table, chairs, whiteboard and couch - but also features a microwave and a bookcase full of physics-oriented books, with plans to add a computer and small printer as well. Students must card into the room, which adds a convenient level of security to the arrangement.

Additionally, the department has made significant improvements to AB 2222, the Computers in Physics Lab. It now features new computers with updated software, a projector and screen, and a premium sound system for acoustics work. While it plays an invaluable role in the curriculum itself, the lab also provides an indispensable tool for Physics students to use in their advanced studies outside of class to meet and work together in one few spaces specifically allocated for Physics students.

The ECE department on the other hand, sprawled across almost the entire second-and-a-half-th floor, has some renovation plans of its own. For the last several terms, the large laboratory south of the Bosch Lab has been closed for renovation and, unfortunately, this process has not been very transparent to students. Despite it's stagnant appearance, great progress has been made recently regarding not only the renovation of this laboratory, but also several other workspaces on the floor; complete blueprints for the updates as well as a variety of color scheme renderings have been delivered by the contracted architect. There haven't been any specific delays in the process so far, but it's been a long process involving a great deal of effort on behalf of the architect and Kettering faculty alike. And, fortunately, there are plans to redesigned several areas geared toward independence, allowing for greater freedom in their studies and areas to unwind with other students in the ECE department.

For the most part, funding for these renovations will come from ECE sources, with a possibility of additional support coming from the university itself. Most recently, GM itself contributed $40 thousand specifically to the ECE department, just before the company's bankruptcy. The estimated budget for the project is in the neighborhood of $200 thousand.

When asked about getting ECE students involved, Professor McDonald, interim head of the ECE department, says, "[it] would be fun for everyone, and I'd love to see it happen. But it won't speed things up, unfortunately." He acknowledged that it would be great to have an ECE student meeting to get some of this information out, especially because they're closing in on a point when student input will be valuable.

As Kettering University continues to expand, faculty will inevitably search for new and exciting ways to take in the increasing enrollment. It is vital that each department provide their students with lounge spaces like these, not only for the sake of recreation, but also for the sake of education.