Wednesday, Nov. 14, AT&T of Topeka presented its latest donation for Stoffer Science Hall to the tune of $47,500, bringing the total donations from the company to $700,000.

Stoffer Science Hall opened in 1960. It was named in honor of Bryan Stoffer, Washburn’s president from 1942 to 1961. Stoffer Hall is home to the Crane Observatory, which was destroyed in the 1966 tornado and has since been rebuilt, as well as several lecture halls, the planetarium, and the biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy departments.

The $14.95 million project features new academic facilities and programs in hope to solidify science instruction. The renovation has added 19,000 square feet to the building. Most of the instructional labs are located on the lower level of the hall, allowing for higher ceilings and more natural light. A vegetative roof was also added to protect and insulate the building. This is the first renovation since its opening.

The hall will also be home to the new High Performance Academic Computing Environment (HiPACE), a new high-speed computer cluster system featured in the physics and astronomy departments. The computer will supply students and faculty with interactive and virtual lab experiences, as well as assist in the complex computation of theoretical problems that arise in the world of science.

The AT&T Foundation has been aiding educational institutes and non-profit organizations by providing many crucial resources such as Internet access, computer training, educational support programs and technology skills development.

The facilities will be fully operational for the 2008 spring semester.