New Study Room

The new quite study room will replace the student government room.

This winter, Collins College students will have access to a new quite study room.The student government room in Building 79B-2015 will be renovated to feature 12 study carrels with laptop plugin outlets, a print release station with printer and movable chairs. Renovations will also include fresh paint, new carpet tile flooring, and electrical wiring to power up the study carrels. 

"We looked at various areas within The Collins College building complex that would be ideal to renovate, and the one that was best suited in terms of easy access and prominent to students," said Project Manager Andrew Naranjo. 

 The project is expected to be complete by the end of January.

Design Phase Jumps Into Gear

The expansion project at The Collins College of Hospitality Management is in its Preliminary Design phase, which is commonly known as the design development phase. 

This is a rendering of what the student commons may look like.
To see more images of the expansion, visit our photo gallery.  

A Collins College focus group has been established to provide input on undergraduate lecture rooms, two graduate instructional support classrooms, faculty/staff offices, student commons - featuring a grab n’ go snack shop - and a graduate student commons. The committee had its first interactive workshop on Nov. 7 with HMC Architects and Gilbane, the construction firm.  They discussed design elements including floor layout and proposed furnishings for each of the spaces and gave comments that will be incorporated in shaping the new additions. Committee members include: 

• Dr. Margie Jones
• Dr. Patrick Lee
• Dr. Jim Burke
• Lecturer Jennifer Shepherd
• Student Services Coordinator Summer Pettus
• Undergraduate Students: Mario Jaramillo, Kristin Conant and Melissa Fackler
• Graduate Student Daniel Horowitz

The 50 percent Preliminary Design drawing packet with that resulted from the workshop was presented to facilities management personnel at one of two scheduled Facilities Management workshops on Nov. 14. The Collins College strives for quality, efficiency and sustainability in all of its expansion projects, so this was an opportunity to insure that the buildings can be easily maintained as well as identify issues that may be developing on the design and selection of materials, equipment and furnishings.

The design team is also currently engineering the design of the cooling tower, a prominent feature in the expansion project. Simultaneously, there is a value management assessment team busy at work looking at ways to get the most out of the budget while maintaining the quality The Collins College exudes. LEED points toward GOLD LEED certification are being reviewed to insure that all certification requirements are achieved by the time the project is complete.

The expansion project has started out on the right foot and is well on its way toward a better college for current and future faculty, staff, students and alumni. Keep a look out for more updates regarding expansions and upgrades to come. 

Furniture Renovations at The Collins College

One of the first places people go when they visit The Collins College is the main lobby of Building 79B. As people walk through the giant glass doors, they are welcomed with a front-desk receptionist and a small lounge area. This space is designed for students to utilize as study or meeting space or for visitors to sit and wait in comfort while reading the latest issue of the Collins magazine.

In order to revamp the look of the main lobby and improve functionality, new furniture has been installed. The old fabric chairs were replaced with new, more efficient seating. The new chairs are upholstered with liquid and dirt repelling fabric for easy maintenance and are equipped with tablet arms for users to work on laptops or write on a hard surface. When it comes to productivity, The Collins College did not forget about all the lefties out there; a couple of the tablet arms were put in to accommodate left-handed people. To accent the chairs, the small round tables were refinished for a cleaner look.

The renovations improve with flexibility, durability and are of a more aesthetic quality than the previous furniture. Keep on the lookout for more makeovers like this in the future.