Marshall University’s new Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex has entered its final stages and is expected to be open by the start of the 2015 fall semester.
Wael Zatar, dean of the College of Information Technology and Engineering, said the new facility is the largest and most expensive on campus, totaling $56 million.
“We have the latest technology in everything here,” Zatar said. “We can educate more students in the best possible way with these tools. We also have all the space and the lab equipment to educate our students better.”
Zatar said the state, university and a sufficient amount of fundraising covered the expenses.
“It’s an initial investment that will pay off easily,” Zatar said. “Although these things are costly, it’s what students want to see.”
The complex has several key features including a state-of-the-art experiment room. The room offers a spacious area to conduct stress tests on any number of specimens.
Zatar said this area also features an L-shaped wall which helps conduct the tests.
“This is very unique,” Zatar said. “No other institution around us has this wall. It’s definitely going to attract more students, more researchers and more teachers.”
The building offers advanced technology in the classrooms. Every class will have a 90-inch television screen, and every lab will have an 80-inch television screen.
Zatar said this will allow professors to maximize on time savings and give every student the best view of class material.
The College of Information Technology and Engineering and other fields will utilize the facility.
“Not only does this benefit the IT department,” Zatar said, “but we also have room for some mathematics, chemistry and other programs from the College of Science.”
The building has been under construction for approximately 30 months now.
Planning started six months before the construction started under the direction of President Stephen J. Kopp.
Zatar said Kopp was the master player in this project.
“He was pushing for all the efforts, and he led the ship in the right direction,” Zatar said. “It was a great loss, no question, but he has ultimately created a space that will last for 100 years.”
No official date is set for the building’s grand opening.
Amy Napier can be contacted at [email protected].