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UNT College of Business 'Building Today for Business Tomorrow'
DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dallas business leaders and insiders got a first look at UNT's new Business Leadership Building during a reception held at the Nasher Sculpture Center on Thursday (Sept. 24). The building is designed to provide UNT's more than 5,600 business majors with the highest level of academic instruction and professional training. "The Business Leadership Building will offer a contemporary environment that will appeal not only to our students, but also to top faculty and industry leaders. The sense of community it will foster among our students and the business world will be invaluable as our students prepare for their careers," said O. Finley Graves, dean of UNT's College of Business. Designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, the building is being funded by $50 million dollars in legislature-approved revenue bonds and $20 million from corporate and private donations. The new Business Leadership Building will accommodate at least 8,000 students compared to the current business building, which was intended to support fewer than 2,000 students. The 180,000 square foot facility will include an open atrium, an internet café, and numerous study and tutoring rooms, which help develop a spirit of collaboration. Graves says the business community has stressed the importance of team-oriented employees, and that the student-focused amenities available in the new building will help students become strong teammates. The building's advanced technology also will help create graduates that are comfortable using cutting-edge technology in their daily work. "Our College of Business has long been a recognized leader in graduating critical thinkers who are industry leaders, entrepreneurs and vital members of the business community," said UNT President Gretchen M. Bataille. "Our new building will provide our students and faculty with a technology-fueled environment that will support their efforts to learn and build local and global partnerships. At UNT, we are dedicated to developing our campus in a way that extends our commitment to preparing graduates who make a difference." The building design also reiterates UNT's commitment to sustainability, which was signified when the university became the first large public university in Texas to sign the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment in 2008. UNT is working with Polshek and Jacobs Engineering to make the building and the construction process as green as possible and plan for the building to achieve Gold LEED Certification. The building will include a number of attractive and environmentally friendly spaces, including two green terraces and a green roof. Natural light will filter through the roof and illuminate the central atrium of the building, which is located on the entry-level of the four-floor building. The building will have more than 15,000 square feet of classroom space that will be fully-equipped with advanced technology. The larger classrooms will all have videoconferencing capabilities. The second floor will house graduate-level classrooms, which also will serve as classrooms for executive education. The top floor will house 149 faculty offices. In a departure from academic tradition, faculty will not be organized by department. The intermingling of faculty offices is designed to encourage more interdisciplinary research, a cornerstone of UNT's academic tradition. UNT is investing in its academics in a way that will focus on more collaborative work, leading to greater applied knowledge that will advance our region and nation. The Business Leadership Building will be located on the southwest corner of Avenue A and Highland Street. Construction is expected to begin in December 2009, and completion of the building is slated for June 2011.
UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Alyssa Yancey (940) 565-3510
Email: Alyssa.aber@unt.edu
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