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Despite more than a month of construction delays, Thursday marked the opening of classes in the Emma Eccles Jones Teacher Education Building and Old Main.
The new home for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson College of Education & Human Development provides new resources and allows room to grow, Dean of Education Prent Klag said.
"(Education) hasn't had a home for many years," Klag said.
The new education building offers "state of the art" technology and a location near Old Main, Education Department Chair Gerald Bowler said.
Carter Enterprises and CRSA Architects have done a good job of creating workable space, Klag said. The two new buildings have great technology, with spacious halls and good lighting, he added.
Klag said most other education buildings in the nation are older, and the new building offers the opportunity to improve student experiences.
"(The building) helps kids become better teachers," Bowler said.
The students in the new building will be better equipped to enter a high-tech workforce and will be more competitive in the market, he said.
"(Education) is back where we are supposed to be … historically," Bowler said.
Secretary of Graduate Studies Regina Wood said the new Old Main is "very different from the old Old Main."
The new facilities are "self-contained" and offer access to study areas and sitting areas for students, Wood said.
"The addition of the Carter Carillon and the creation of Dahle Plaza (at the foot of the bell tower) create a whole new gathering spot on campus," SUU President Michael T. Benson said.
Klag said the new structures will create a whole new student flow on campus and move more activity to the east end.
The old and new have come together in Old Main to create a space which is both historic and functional, Benson said.
Bowler said the remodeled Old Main also provides room for the college to grow and expand, whereas before space was at a minimum.
Things are still coming in and people are still adjusting, but it has been a change for the best, Bowler said.
Klag said the new building and renovations have been "a long time coming," and he said he appreciates the structures.
The new building and renovations offer a centralized location so that the department is not scattered across the campus, Klag said.
The buildings also come with numerous features, many of which are still on the way, he said.
There will be murals, artwork and stained glass installed in the Teacher Education Building, he said.
Klag said it is nice to have a home again.
Katie Robinson, a sophomore music education major from Pleasant Grove, said Old Main looks good and the new building offers many new features for students.
Bowler said that while it has only been a few days, faculty and staff "haven't heard or seen the ghost (of Old Main) yet."
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