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Clemons second floor remodel still in progress

Advancements in educational opportunities being brought to Clemons Library next fall

<p>This is the anticipated design for the second floor of Clemons.</p>

This is the anticipated design for the second floor of Clemons.

The remodeling of Clemons Library’s second floor — which started last spring as part of President Teresa Sullivan’s Cornerstone Plan — is currently under renovations to be completed next fall.

Clem 2 is making a change from the crowded, noisy floor it used to be to a space allowing students to have more access to student advising.

“The Cornerstone Plan identifies integrating students’ academic advising, career advising and personal development — known as Total Advising — as an important area of focus,” Archie Holmes, vice provost for educational innovation and interdisciplinary studies, said in an email statement. “The provost’s office has been working with students and service providers over the last two years to better understand student needs and how best to present these services.”

Student input and research found Clemons to be one of the best places to accomplish the goals that students desired for their academic spaces, Holmes said.

“Students have shared their preference that academic, career, extra-/co-curricular and financial services be offered in one location on Central Grounds,” Holmes said. “Clemons was identified as a space to support this.”

Student Council was one of the main groups involved with gathering student input for the basis of the library renovations.

“In addition to the workshops and outreach to a variety of students … Student Council members served on the steering committee for the project,” Holmes said. “We also made regular presentation presentations to Student Council.”

The reconstruction will still include much of the seating and study spaces which were afforded to students in the old second floor, but will now include additional spaces for advising with academics, careers and finances.

“During several workshops with faculty and outreach to students over the past two years, we found that students were not always aware of all of the services available to them and wanted personal connections with a variety of ‘experts’ to empower them to make the best of the University’s offerings during their time on Grounds,” Holmes said.

Holmes also said the renovation will include the addition of rooms and offices, which students will be able to reserve when they are not being used.

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