With the construction of Taylor Hall under way, arts and humanities professors and students are looking forward to new amenities and having a single location for their departments again.

Currently, the English department is spread out in a variety of locations across campus. Last semester, lecturer Heather Altfeld’s English 130 class was held in O’Connell Technology Center, which is across campus from her office in Trinity Hall.

“I think the biggest benefit will be that the English department faculty will all be in the same location,” said Sandra Flake, an English professor. “It means faculty and students will have a common location and spaces they can meet in and interact in – beyond the classrooms.”

New construction required that English professors and staff were uprooted from their old offices and classrooms and given temporary spaces. Many professors were given offices in Trinity Hall, which houses the history department, sometimes working in crowded or shared offices.

“I’m most excited about the new performance spaces and classrooms for students,” said Sharon Demeyer, the English department secretary, “and the offices for faculty who have previously been doubled and tripled up in small, windowless spaces.”

Another benefit of the new building is the use of smarter technology, including classrooms with easily movable walls, chairs and projectors.

“Taylor II will be wired for today’s student, who uses laptops and tablets more frequently.” said Robert Davidson, another English professor. “We need more up-to-date, modern classrooms, with the latest smart technology. It will be a good looking building that people will want to spend time in, filled with the latest technology.”

Madison Holmes can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.