The Renovation of Baruch College’s Main Student Computer Lab Has Begun!

The Project

Baruch College is undertaking a complete renovation and upgrade of the main student computer lab on the sixth floor of the Information and Technology Building at 151 East 25th Street. Work will begin on Wednesday, November 16, and is expected to last through Summer 2017. Our goal is to have the entire facility renovated by the start of classes in Fall 2017.  Although we regret the inconvenience students will experience during the renovation period, the College looks forward to providing an outstanding, new student-centered facility.

The new features of the lab will include:

  • An expansion of the total area of the lab with student seating extending to the windows through the removal of the interior wall on the north side of the floor
  • Easy access to the help desk, relocated to the entrance hall area
  • 6 new student collaboration rooms with special presentation and conferencing equipment
  • New computers at every seat plus new printers, scanners, and other equipment for student use
  • New furnishings— tables, chairs, and lounge seating— to support group work as well as individual work
  • Electrical outlets at every table
  • A bring-your-own-device area

Schedules and Accommodations: What to Expect

The renovation will be accomplished in two phases.

Phase one will start with the construction of a temporary wall to separate the lab’s north and south sides. Full-scale construction will then begin on the south side, while the north side remains open. Once the south side renovation is completed, the south side will reopen.

Phase two of the work will focus on the north side.

Note: While each side is under construction, lab computers will be relocated and available on various floors of the Newman Library. To accommodate extra use of the library, temporary additional seats will be available on each floor for the duration of the project.

The architectural renderings of the renovated lab are provided below.

 

lab-rendering-south-side-with-collaboration-rooms

South side of the lab including collaboration rooms

 

 

lab-rendering-south-side-with-help-desk

South side of the lab showing the help desk

 

 

lab-rendering-south-side-from-above

South side of the lab from above showing help desk and entrance

 

 

lab-rendering-north-side-from-above

North side of the lab with lounge seating and individual work stations from above

 

 

lab-rendering-printer-alcove-and-byod-area

Printer alcove and bring-your-own-device area

 

 

 

 

 

Baruch Presentations at the 15th Annual CUNY IT Conference on 12/1/2016

The 15th Annual CUNY IT Conference will be held on December 1 and 2 at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

The full conference program and registration information are available on the conference web site.  Listed below are the sessions that include presentations by Baruch College faculty and staff.

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Thursday, December 1 at 1:00

“Technology Accessibility Task Force: An Update on Initiatives to Promote IT Accessibility Across CUNY”

Explores IT accessibility needs at CUNY and recent initiatives to promote accessibility tools and awareness at CUNY. Will highlight the new Accessibility website, recent surveys on needs in classrooms and other spaces, and recent initiatives to make IT more accessible to those with disabilities.

Arthur Downing, VP for Information Services and CIO, Dean of the Library, Baruch College

Caryn Giananti, Senior Research Analyst, Office of Institutional Research, CUNY Central

Carlos Herrera, Task Force Coordinator; Assistant Director, Services for Students with Disabilities, Queensborough Community College

Joseph Sherman, Accessibility Specialist, Office of Computing and Information Services, CUNY Central

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Thursday, December 1 at 2:15

“Redefining ‘Success’ in the Hybrid Course”

How have hybrid courses complicated traditional notions of success in a classroom? What are the challenges in comparing the “success” of a hybrid course with the “success” of a traditional course? Current and former Center for Teaching and Learning directors and the faculty liaison at Baruch College discuss how hybridizing has created shifts in assignment design, student learning outcomes and student self-perceptions of learning that challenge and redefine success.

Allison Lehr-Samuels, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Baruch College

Kannan Mohan, Former Director of the CTL, Baruch College

Cheryl Smith, Faculty Liaison to CTL, Baruch College

Laurie Hurson, Hybrid Coordinator at the CTL, Baruch College

Lindsey Albracht, Hybrid Coordinator at the CTL, Baruch College