
News & Renovations
Classroom Renovations
Autumn 2020 Updates
As part of The Ohio State University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Provost formed the University Classroom Planning Committee. This group was made up of representatives from the following partners to prepare classrooms for a safe return to campus:
Athletics | Facilities Operations and Development | Office of Academic Affairs | Office of the Chief Information Officer | Office of Distance Education and eLearning | Office of Legal Affairs | Office of the Registrar | Planning, Architecture, and Real Estate
Once the decision was made to return to campus for fall semester, members of these teams had two months to collectively identify adequately sized spaces; evaluate, design and stage the classrooms; implement the necessary technology; account for air quality and filtration; schedule increased cleaning; and provide sanitation solutions in every room. The following is an abbreviated list of tasks accomplished by this team to illustrate the depth and partnership required in this effort:
Some spaces that are not usually utilized for instruction were also added into the pool of classrooms, such as ballrooms in the Ohio Union, Mershon Auditorium, the 4-H Center and the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow. Regular classrooms which were too small to be effectively used as classrooms were set for physical distancing then designated as “drop-in” spaces, to be used by students who have back-to-back online and in-person classes.
In the two months prior to Autumn Semester, the Classroom Services team completed the following work:
- Developing a proposal, in coordination with regionals and departments, for CARES funding to support technology needs on all campuses.
- Evaluated technology and space in 360 pool classrooms and 167 potential additional instructional spaces
- Designed physical distancing layouts of all spaces to be used
- Applied approximately 22,000 stickers to designate which seats to use for physical distancing, reminding students and instructors to clean tools and desks and designate instructor areas
- Set up approximately 128 “novel spaces” for use as classrooms, including furniture, labeling and technology installation
- Installed webcams in all classrooms to allow for use of Zoom in hybrid classes and for quarantined students
- Deployed document cameras to allow whiteboard functionality to be viewable simultaneously via Zoom and by in-person attendees
- Photographed and documented all features for all classrooms for display on the classroom search website
- Staged public computing spaces for physical distancing
- Staged all Digital Union locations for physical distancing
- Launched a new video studio in the Denney Hall Digital Union supporting the creation of online course materials.
- Completed full renovations of Hagerty 159, 180 and 186 and installations into the newly constructed Fontana Labs building
- Hired and trained a new student support staff, including COVID procedures, and supporting instructors in the use of Zoom in classrooms
- Coordinated 150 support professionals across campus via Teams to support classroom spaces
- Loaned microphones to assist with voice lift for instructors wearing masks
- Added 19 buildings across campus to our zone system for quick support of classroom technology issues
Partner groups such as the registrar's office and FoD also completed tasks such as:
- Moving nearly 10,000 pieces of furniture
- Addressing HVAC and filtration in every building
- Providing wipes in every classroom
- Cleaning rooms twice per day
- Providing instructors personal teaching items such as chalk, markers and erasers in their PPE kits.
Recently Completed Renovations
Upcoming Projects
Classroom renovations and upgrades are in the planning stages for future breaks.
Information about building and campus renovation and construction projects is available from OSU Facilities Operations and Development.
BUilding/Room | Renovation Begins | Reopens | upgrades |
---|---|---|---|
Smith Laboratory 1042, 1048, 1064, 1076, 1138, 1149, 1150, 1180, 1186, 2006, 2144, 2150, 2180, 2186 | Summer 2020 | Autumn 2020 | Paint Carpet Furniture |
Hagerty Hall 159, 180, 186 | Summer 2020 | Autumn 2020 | Paint Carpet Furniture Boards A/V System |
Denney Hall 202, 206, 207, 209, 213, 214, 238, 245, 250, 253, 262, 265, 268 Stillman Hall 135 | May 2020 | Autumn 2020 | A/V System |
Mendenhall Lab 100 Journalism Building 300 | Spring Break 2020 | A/V System | |
Mendenhall Lab 115, 125, 129, 131, 173, 174 , 175, 185, 191 | Spring 2020 | Spring 2020 | A/V System |
Derby Hall 29 | Autumn 2019 | Spring 2020 | Paint Carpet Furniture Boards A/V System |
Drinko Hall 354 | Autumn 2019 | Spring 2020 | Paint Carpet Furniture Boards A/V System |
Ramseyer Hall 009, 100 Lazenby 002, 002, 018, 034 | Autumn 2019 | During Autumn 2019 | A/V System |
Stillman Hall 100 Lazenby 021 | December 2019 | Spring 2020 | A/V System |