J.T. BUCHHEIT | Chief Copy Editor

Spellmann’s lower floors will be expanding in the coming weeks, with the Spellmann computer lab moving down two floors and the addition of a lounge area to the first floor, according to President Michael Shonrock.

Taking the place of the current Spellmann computer lab on the third floor will be the Welcome Center, as well as the office of the provost, and the business office.

Shonrock said one of the reasons the Welcome Center is being moved here is because he wants prospective students to see the view of the campus.

The first-floor lab is currently under construction and is overseen by Timothy Crutchley, director of campus planning. Crutchley said the lab likely will be finished this week.

There will be fewer computers in the first-floor lab compared to the third-floor lab. The third-floor lab had 100 computers, while the first-floor lab will have 56, as well as one color printer and three black-and-white printers. The reason for this is that the current computer lab is less than half full most of the time, so a smaller space can be managed, according to Shonrock.

There will be two additional computer labs. The Butler Loft collaboration space will hold 12 computers, and Room 121 in the Library Academic Resources Center will have 18 computers.

Lab hours for the new Spellmann computer lab will remain the same as the current lab, and special hours for finals week will continue to be accommodated, said T.J. Rains, vice president of information technology.