Faculty move into new buildings on Gainesville Campus

Sounds of equipment being unloaded and boxes being opened and unpacked echoed through the renovated and repurposed Health Sciences Building on the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus. These scenes were repeated as faculty and staff moved medical equipment into the Department of Nursing's recently acquired space.

The move is part of UNG's project to relocate a handful of departments this summer into the buildings that formerly housed Lanier Technical College. Information Technology (IT) Services relocated to the first floor of the Health Sciences building in early spring, said Bill Moody, director of facilities for the Cumming, Gainesville and Oconee campuses. The nursing department followed after classes ended in May.

"We already moved the nursing simulation lab from the Continuing Education and Performing Arts building to its new place," Moody said. "By May 21, we will have all of nursing in its new home."

Rebekah Mildenhall, lecturer of nursing, said the skills labs on the Dahlonega Campus also moved to the Gainesville Campus. She explained the transition will group together the undergraduate nursing students in Gainesville and the graduate students in Dahlonega.

"We will be able to move more students through the simulation labs and won't have to find a separate space to debrief them. That space is already built-in," Mildenhall said. "It will make us more efficient."

Melissa Warren, staff associate of nursing on the Gainesville Campus, moved into her office recently. She said the facilities and IT departments completed the move with ease and efficiency.

"They have been great!" she said. "They made it easy for us to move in and get settled."

Warren said the relocation's biggest benefit is keeping the nursing faculty and students in a single building. Previously, nursing classrooms, labs and faculty offices were housed in different buildings across campus.

"I think the faculty will enjoy having their own offices and own space," she said. "And the students will appreciate having faculty more accessible."

The next department scheduled to move at a staggered pace will be the film and digital media section of the Department of Communication, Media and Journalism. It will occupy its own building.

The next in line to relocate will be the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, the Lewis D. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA), and the Department of Visual Arts. All three will occupy the Arts and Technology Building.

"Our goal is to have everyone moved by the end of July," Moody said. "Then the faculty and staff will be ready to hold classes in the fall."

UNG's allocation and renovation of the property on the east side of the campus were meant to address the growing needs of the Gainesville Campus. The property's seven buildings total 165,000 square feet of instruction and institutional space.

"This space allows UNG to enlarge the departments of nursing, IESA, visual arts and continuing education," Moody said. "And it provides more space for film and digital media to work."

The renovated spaces also feature a food court, outdoor seating and more study and lounge spaces.

"Students are going to have gathering spaces inside and outside of the buildings," Moody said. "It will be really nice."