Computer lab will not return to Ag basement

Jacob Shellabarger, Corner Post Contributing Editor

Sept. 3, 2002 - College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) students may have to walk a bit farther to use computer labs this semester, as the familiar 1-119 and 1-120 labs in the basement of the Ag building have become the temporary home of the Academic Programs Office (APO). The space, formerly operated by Information Access and Technology Services (IATS) as a student computer lab, will be unoccupied following the APO's move to the new Gary Dickinson Student Achievement Center in early October.

"We've enjoyed our time here [in the Ag basement]," APO assistant Kelli Fent said. "The smaller facility has allowed us to work together on projects and get to know each other better than when we were all spread out in our own office. It has some drawbacks - like it can get loud when everyone's working, and there's very little privacy - but it's been worth it because the new Student Achievement Center will be beautiful."

The question now: What will happen to the APO's temporary home after the Dickinson Student Achievement Center is open? The space will not sit unoccupied, but the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Dean will not release its plans to Corner Post at this time.