By Juliett Dinkins
Waiting lists for computer classes may soon become a thing of the past after the Staff Training and Development Center reopens today following an extensive nine-month renovation.
 The recently completed project included the addition of a 2,750 square-foot second floor and renovation of approximately 1,500 square feet to the existing building.
The additional space has allowed the center to increase the number of laboratories available for computer training courses, according to Opal Haley, the center’s director. She estimates that between 8,000 and 10,000 faculty and staff attend orientation sessions and training classes each year. Computer training, in particular, was the one area where demand far exceeded capacity.
Demand exceeds space
“Participation in training classes grew at such a rate that we needed more lab space,” Haley says. “The primary reason for the renovation was to give us some flexibility in scheduling more computer classes.”
Classroom space hasn’t always been a problem. In 1985, 720 employees went through staff training, according to Haley. Eleven years later that number had grown to approximately 10,000. The reason? From 1985 to 1994, the training and development department significantly increased course offerings, making training more appealing.
To ensure all employees had equal access to professional development opportunities, the department also stopped charging a fee for participation in classes in 1994 and made them available free of charge to all university faculty and staff. By 1996, the center was feeling the pinch for more space.
“We maxed out a couple of years ago in the number of people we were able to accommodate for computer training,” Haley says. “We weren’t able to meet the demand and constantly had people on the waiting lists.”
In the new facility, the frequency of training classes for popular software courses such as PageMaker, Photoshop, WordPerfect and Excel, as well as those for the World Wide Web, will increase. Two PC labs will be housed on the second floor; the Macintosh lab will remain on the first floor.
Other needed changes
Renovations to the center also included adding an elevator, leveling out the sidewalk and enlarging bathrooms, according to Haley.
“One of our ongoing problems always happened during class breaks,” Haley says. “If two classes broke at the same time, there was no way people could really take a break and get back to class on time. We shouldn’t have a problem with that anymore--unless all four classes break at the same time.”
While the training center building was being renovated, Haley and her 10-person staff were planning for the future.
“We’ve spent the past nine months conducting a lot of research into new programs and new ideas,” Haley says. “We’re hoping to offer some innovative and cost-effective programs in the next year.”
Investment in the future
The newly renovated building symbolizes the importance university administrators place on professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, according to Haley.
“In talking with my colleagues around the country, I have found out that we are one of the few institutions to have an entire building dedicated to employee development,” she says. “The investment the university has made in this facility is something every employee ought to appreciate. With changes in the workplace, particularly in technology, the facility is a valuable asset for the entire university community.”
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