Dim lighting makes for great theater, but imagine taking a test in it.
Perhaps the best performance at Snowden Auditorium has been the auditorium itself. The theater has played multiple roles including classroom, conference area and testing center, all without modern accoutrements.
However, by this June, close to $170,000 of new equipment, lighting, carpeting and seating will help move 27-year-old auditorium into the present day, allowing it to continue in its multiple roles.
Originally, $25,000 was budgeted to perform renovations. To prioritize those renovations, CAS Dean Neal Bruss decided to bring some of the facility users together with representatives from Facilities Operations. "As people went through their needs list, it became obvious that so many issues of committee members were not being addressed," explains Deputy Director of Facilities Operations Lee Nason. "Neal ended up with a very long list."
Rather than trying to make a little go a long way, the group decided to have Nason apply for a grant from the President's Fund. While she didn't receive all she asked for, Nason was awarded enough to do most of the work the committee sought.
To date, only the first part of the overhaul has been completed. While it goes by the name of Instructional Technological Teaching System, its purpose is much more user-friendly than its title. The ITTS is a state-of-the-art presentation system that not only captivates an audience but also befriends presenters with its ease of use.
Over the next several months, students, faculty, staff and visitors will notice many improvements to the 250-seat auditorium. A condition of the grant requires the work to be finished by June 1, and Nason said this is one act that will finish on time. "This really is owed to Neal Bruss and his bright idea," said Nason. "It's very difficult to form a committee of so many different people and reach a consensus on going forward, but Neal brought everybody in."