TO: Sharon L. O’Neil

FROM: JcButler

DATE: October 22, 1996

RE: Classrooms

A copy of our draft report is attached and this includes a tentative schedule. The missing piece is this plan is the status of classrooms that are on a college inventory. Rooms such as the Kiva in Farrish Hall and the large lecture room in the Law Center need to be factored into the overall plan.

I believe that approximately $250,000 should be set aside each fiscal year to be invested in teaching space. Half should be dedicated to the physical setting -- painting, chairs, carpets, etc -- and half to the "electronic setting". It seems to me that we must make an immediate investment in "portable" projectors which can be delivered to audio visual as well as devisng a plan to upgrade and maintain projectors in the large lecture rooms.

I recommend that UH hire an expert in the design of modern classrooms to study the present classrooms and recommend modifications which would lead to a better environment for learning. In particular, the large rooms in Agnes Arnold and the rectangular, flat room in Communications.

In addition, UH should have a policy on the use of electronic classrooms. For example, should UH purchase notebooks which could be assigned to a classroom? I do not favor this. I believe that the academic unit/instructor should provide the computer and the University should enhance the setting.