New Construction
Howard University in Washington, D.C., recently announced plans for a $785-million construction initiative that will involve building three new academic halls and renovating multiple existing structures around campus.
New Construction
The Mt. San Jacinto Community College District recently broke ground on a new STEM Education building for its San Jacinto Campus in San Jacinto, Calif.
Campus Technology
Projector and display solutions company Sharp NEC Display Solutions recently announced the introduction of a new professional installation projector, the PX2201UL.
New Construction
The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently saw the completion of a new District Office and Adult School Building for the district.
Campus Renovations
One school's plan to give each student a laptop not only eliminated the need for computer labs, but it also freed up physical space in its media center to repurpose a fairly large lab.
Campus Safety
New research finds that, in higher education, student and faculty/staff mental health are high up on the list of safety concerns, although COVID–19 safety measures remain the top concern.
Crisis Communications
In a new report about crisis communications, a full quarter (25%) of respondents who work in K–12 reported that their students do not have a means of reporting tips anonymously. This at a time when concerns about violence on campus are dramatically up.
School Safety
New research finds that COVID–19 safety measures are no longer the top concern among K–12 school administrators and staff. While it's still one important issue, the top concern for the coming year is student mental health.
Policy & Funding
The White House launched a new program Thursday, calling on schools, colleges and universities to work to improve indoor air quality. In conjunction with the launch, the Environmental Protection Agency also released new guidelines for best practices for improving indoor air quality and reducing the spread of COVID-19 further.
New Construction
Providence College in Providence, R.I., has developed plans to build a $54-million, six-story residence hall that could potentially open in September 2023.
Campus Renovations
In the fall of 2021, Biola University in La Mirada, Calif. dedicated a completely transformed and remodeled Bardwell Hall as the new home for the visual arts — moving the art department from its former home at the fringes of campus to a vibrant facility right at the core.
New Construction
Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently broke ground on a new facility for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship.
Campus Expansion
Keokuk High School in Keokuk, Iowa, recently began construction on a new wing to provide additional space to the fine arts department.
Campus Renovation
The Polk County School Board in Davenport, Fla., recently approved funding to expand the campus of Bella Citta Elementary School to add a middle school.
New Construction
Officials from the Manor Independent School District in Manor, Texas, recently broke ground on a new high school facility. The upcoming Early College High School will cover about 85,000 square feet and provide a “collegiate atmosphere” to a capacity of about 800 students, according to a press release.
New Construction
Officials at High Point University in High Point, N.C., recently announced a $400-million academic expansion to include four new schools, including a law school. The announcement came on the heels of the university receiving three gifts from three totaling $100 million within the last month.
New Construction
Texas Christian University recently announced that it will be building a new campus for the TCU School of Medicine in the Fort Worth Medical District in Fort Worth, Texas.
Cybersecurity
Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, recently announced a partnership with Stellar Cyber to adopt a new cybersecurity program for one of its institutes.
New Construction
Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis., recently revealed plans for a major renovation to the Helfaer Tennis Stadium and Recreation Center. The building will be reimagined as the Wellness + Recreation facility, and it will unite the school’s fitness and recreation services with its counseling center and medical clinic under one roof.
Campus Renovations
Local news reports that the Lansing School District in Lansing, Mich., will be merging its two Montessori schools into one building starting next year.
Campus Transportation
Modern student transportation solutions company Zum announced recently that it has deployed its first batch of electric school buses. The six LionC electric school buses, manufactured by Lion Electric, are already serving students in the San Francisco Unified School District and the Oakland Unified School District, according to a press release.
New Construction
Builder C.W. Driver Companies recently announced the completion of a $38-million reconstruction project for Menifee Valley Middle School in Menifee, Calif. The project involved converting more than 71,000 square feet of the campus into a magnet school for visual and performing arts.
New Construction
During the construction of Baylor University’s new Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, two workers fell 35 feet after a scaffolding collapse and were taken to the hospital on Wednesday, March 2, in Waco, Texas, according to local authorities.
Campus Renovation
Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., will start construction this summer on a $27.5-million expansion to its campus diversity center.
New Construction
The Friendswood Independent School District in Friendswood, Texas, is ready to begin construction on a new elementary school nearly two years after the original bond was approved. The district’s board of trustees selected Satterfield & Pontikes Construction as the project’s construction manager at its board workshop meeting on Monday, Feb. 28.
Campus Safety
The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, recently released the results of an external review of its expanded off-campus safety program.
Campus Amenities
Birchwood Lighting recently announced the launch of a new set of acoustic luminaries and panels designed for large, open spaces. The BWA250 luminaries and panels are intended to provide both seamless illumination and sound dampening capabilities in environments like open office spaces, common areas and education spaces.
Campus Funding
University of Kentucky HealthCare (U.K. HealthCare) in Lexington, Ky., recently announced that it has received a $10 million gift from Central Bank to go toward expanding patient care at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center.
New Construction
One of the largest public charter schools in the U.S., Granada Hills Charter near Los Angeles, recently announced the completion of a $41-million campus expansion project.
Campus Technology
An independent, Texas-based school district comprised of 33 educational institutions including elementary, middle, and high schools needed to resolve its cellular reception problems. Staff and students must be able to make 9-1-1 calls on a mobile phone from anywhere within a school campus in the event of an emergency for location accuracy, according to guidelines set by the Safer Buildings Coalition.
New Construction
Private Christian university Columbia International University, located in Columbia, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking and dedication for a new Health Science Lab facility. The 2,200-square-foot space will contain biology and chemistry lab classrooms and is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2022 semester, according to a news release.
Campus Sustainability
Howard University in Washington, D.C., recently announced that it will be partnering with VEIC and CustomerFirst Renewables to develop a five-year campus Sustainability Plan.
Healthy Schools
CloroxPro recently announced that it has launched an online learning platform to help educate and train commercial cleaning professionals. CloroxPro HealthyClean is intended to help boost the knowledge and skills of cleaning and maintenance staff as these workers’ responsibilities have skyrocketed during the last two years.
Campus Security
Hanwha Techwin America is getting ready for ISC West 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The IP and analog video surveillance solutions provider will be showcasing its new line of “AI-powered dual channel multi-sensor cameras featuring powerful Deep-Learning based object detection and classification, and license-free video and audio analytics,” according to a news release.
New Construction
The Board of Trustees at Indiana University recently approved the design of a new Medical Education Building for the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. The new facility will stand 11 stories tall, measure in at roughly 326,200 square feet and provide much-needed additional space for the instructional and research needs of various programs.
Education Conference
The TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) Convention & Exposition took place last week from Monday, Feb. 7, to Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. I had the opportunity to drop in on the convention for a day, and the following are some loosely organized thoughts about my experience there.
Campus Amenities
While most teachers and educators are aware of the eSports phenomenon and its ever-expanding popularity, many remain unfamiliar with all the benefits an eSports program can offer to both students and schools themselves. Moreover, some educators looking to introduce eSports programs feel overwhelmed and in the dark about how to get started.
New Construction
The Lafayette Parish School System in Lafayette, La., announced this week that it has selected construction companies for three rebuilding projects within its district.
New Construction
The Board of Trustees at Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel Campus in Hamden, Conn., recently approved the construction of three new buildings on campus. Two new academic buildings and a new residence hall will come together to form a new “South Quad” area.
New Construction
Furman University in Greenville, S.C., is gearing up to tackle the largest construction project in its history. Groundbreaking starts this Saturday, Feb. 12, for a comprehensive renovation of South Housing that involves constructing a new residence hall and renovating four others.