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William Paterson University to Hold Grand Opening for New Academic Building Funded by “Building Our Future” Bond Act on Wednesday, January 13

University Hall

--Dedication ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by tours of the building

--Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Sen. Tom Kean Jr., and Sen. Nellie Pou scheduled to attend, along with other officials

William Paterson University in Wayne will hold a grand opening for its new academic building, University Hall, on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 2 p.m. on the institution’s campus in Wayne. The $40 million building, opening six months ahead of schedule, is the first step in a long-range plan to modernize facilities in the academic core of the campus. The project was funded in part by $30 million from the “Building Our Future” Bond Act.  Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno is expected to attend, along with Sen. Tom Kean Jr., Sen. Nellie Pou and other officials.

“University Hall, with its important mix of general-use classrooms and dedicated laboratories and clinical spaces for our programs in nursing, communication disorders, and public health, will provide a wonderful new academic building in the center of our campus that will serve all our students while also advancing our role as a top provider of health sciences education in New Jersey,” says Kathleen Waldron, president of William Paterson University. “This new academic building represents a significant step as we seek to revitalize the main instructional facilities on our campus and provide our faculty and students with state-of-the-art teaching, clinical, and research spaces.”

The 80,000-square-foot teaching and research facility houses 16 general-use classrooms that will serve a minimum of 4,000 students per semester.  It also features specialized classrooms and clinical spaces for the University’s well-established and expanding programs in nursing, communication disorders, and public health. Among the specialized clinical spaces is the relocated Nel Bolger, RN Nursing Laboratory, which includes two updated patient simulation laboratories and a control room to provide enhanced clinical training, as well as three nursing basic skills labs and four additional nursing simulation labs. 

In addition, the University’s Speech and Hearing Clinic, which provides the community with a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for communication disorders, is located on the building’s lower level, with a separate entrance and dedicated parking for clinic clients. The clinic is a state-of-the-art facility with the latest digital monitoring technology and now includes 15 therapy rooms and 14 observation rooms to meet the growing demand for the clinic’s services. In addition, faculty and students will benefit from dedicated research spaces for communication disorders, nursing, and public health research.

The front of the building features a dramatic two-story glass façade and includes a new grab and go food area. In addition, 14 small and large group study rooms are distributed throughout the building. A terrace on the building’s upper level will feature outdoor seating overlooking Speert Garden, as well as an adjacent “green roof” that will be planted with grass.  In line with the University’s commitment to sustainability, the building has been designed for efficiency, and the University is seeking LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

With the early opening of University Hall, the University will accelerate its plans for a major renovation of Hunziker Hall and Hunziker Wing, two buildings at the academic core of the campus.  The first phase of the project, to be completed by summer 2017, will include the renovation of Hunziker Wing and construction of a new atrium linking the buildings. The second phase will consist of the renovation of Hunziker Hall, to be completed by summer 2018. The overall project will provide 27 new smart classrooms, state-of-the-art facilities for kinesiology labs and the Writing Center, and new space for the departments of English and philosophy, the Black Box Theatre, and other academic offices. 

***Please note:  Media parking will be available in the Visitor’s Lot, accessed via entry 2 on Pompton Road.