The construction of the new University Honors College within Capen Library is expected to be finished by June 1, and the modern addition will bring an update to Capen Library.
The Honors College, formerly in 214 Talbert Hall, will bring an abundance versatile space for its members and other students alike, according to Krista Hanypsiak, administrative director of the University Honors College.
Representatives from the Honors College would make no comment on the cost of either the expansion or the grant that is said to have funded a lounge within the new facility.
"It is important for students to have an area to meet together," Hanypsiak said. "It will be a multi-purpose space, with places for group study and areas for evening social activities."
There are currently 1,035 students in the Honors College, according to Hanypsiak. The expansion will be mainly used as the offices for the Honors College, but there will also be classrooms located in the area that other students will be able to utilize. Additionally, there will be advising centers for academics, fellowships and scholarships available for both Honors College members and other students.
The new space is being designed for student comfort and flexibility. Hanypsiak hopes that students will take advantage of the new area and utilize the furniture's mobility to create an environment fit for their needs.
The move comes as an initiative of UB 2020 and the "Heart of the Campus" project, which aims to establish a centralized "heart" on North Campus. The merging of the two locations is seen as a way to integrate learning into other areas of the school.
"It is exciting to see the new Honors College take shape during the construction," said A. Scott Weber, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education. "Seeing the plans materialize during the past several months provide even more excitement for the university about this unique space. I am sure that this new home will catalyze even greater student success through the College."
The effort to merge student study environments with learning environments is the beginning of a plan to remodel the campus libraries.
The new location will give the Honors College a more prominent space on campus and will house the theses of past and present members.
"The Honors College produces some of our most distinguished graduates, and I am particularly pleased to see them moving into a highly visible, high-tech, innovative space," Weber said in an interview with the UB Reporter.
The new location of the Honors College has replaced the Silent Study Area, which is now on the bottom floor of the library. Student opinions vary on the new location being inside one of the main libraries on North Campus.
"[I find it] odd that they would use an entire section of the library," said Josh Gordon, a senior fine arts and political science major. "I hope they use the same amount of money to update the rest of the library….During finals week, Capen is filled with students and it is always a mess. Maybe this will help the library get cleaned up for the rest of the students."
The Honors College area will have classrooms and lounges that are open to all students, with some areas restricted to Honors College members.
Honors College student Ariel Wynne, a junior exercise science major, sees the new renovation as an exciting change for the program.
"The [new] location will be more accessible," Wynne said. "It will provide more space for tutoring and be more influential than the previous location in Talbert [Hall]."
Construction on the new Honors College has been taking place during off-hours to help minimize the amount of disturbance to students working in the library.
Additional reporting by Amanda Jonas, investigative reporter.
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