The Washburn University School of Business, located in Henderson Learning Resource Center, will undergo some major changes this summer. The plan is to take some of the unused space and turn it into a technologically-advanced facility.

The estimated cost for this project is to be around $450,000. University reserves have provided $50,000 and the remaining $400,000 will be earned through fundraising.

To minimize construction interference with course scheduling during regular semesters, construction is set for the summer of 2007.

“Our goal is to begin construction as soon as classes are over and be done before classes begin in the fall,” said David Sollars, dean and professor for the School of Business.

Entering the building at the northeast entrance, people should expect to see a three-room suite with walls covered in wood paneling and professional signage elements, such as the school logo and the AACSB accreditation symbol. Included in the three-room suite will be a showcase classroom, a boardroom suite and a trading room.

The classroom will be in Room 104. It will seat 40 students and will be visible from the other two rooms of the suite through glass partitions. The classroom will have dual-screen multimedia technology and power-ports for laptop computers to aid in teaching finance classes. It will also contain a complete multimedia podium for the instructor where they will be able to access numerous amounts of data at any time.

The boardroom, which will be constructed out of Room 102, will contain high-quality furnishings and will be visible from the lobby via glass panels. The boardroom will serve as a meeting place, as well as a place to honor students and alumni for their outstanding achievements and contributions.

At the back of the showcase classroom sits the “trading room,” which will also be visible from the other two rooms. It will consist of 20 integrated computer terminals and will resemble a professional trading-desk environment. LCD screens will adorn the walls and provide up-to-date market data, news and university messages to all who enter the building. This room may be used in cooperation with the classroom or separately. This will allow the School of Business to bring the outside financial world into Henderson in attempts to provide hands-on learning with cutting-edge technology.

This new suite will also serve as the location of the Blue Mercury Project. This project, if funds are provided by the Washburn Endowment Association, will provide students with $100,000 to make decisions about investing money in attempts to turn a profit.

Sollars is very excited to get this project underway.

“I envision it being a place where we try out new technology; a great place to learn and attract students to Washburn.”