919 Dedication on 9/19 Rocks!
The former Beta House at 919 E. 10th Street was originally dedicated in 1927. It was re-dedicated eighty-one years later on September 19, 2008 as headquarters for the School of Informatics.
The celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Founding Dean Mike Dunn, Provost Karen Hanson, Dean Bobby Schnabel, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, Chancellor Ken Gros Louis, and Dean’s Advisory Council members and building contributors Don Aquilano, Mark Hill, John Gibbs, and Pat Callahan.
After the ribbon cutting, the party began. It featured rock and Afro-Caribbean bands on the front patio, classical musicians in the conference room, faculty and student displays throughout the building, food and drink, and games and contests.
While the exterior of the building, officially named Informatics East, retains its classic look from 1927, the interior has been transformed into a hi-tech headquarters for the School of Informatics. The lobby features inviting common spaces for students, faculty, staff and visitors to gather. There are several flat-screen TVs, comfortable seating, and a coffee bar run by Residential Programs and Services. The first floor also features office space for the School’s very active career services group. There are also classrooms and offices for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
According to Dean Bobby Schnabel, “It gives us a really attractive headquarters for the school, which I just think is important to the spirit of the school,” he said. “It gives us a student-friendly headquarters that we didn’t have before.”
More than 500 people attended the dedication.
