College of Business Moves Into Cornell Hall - Finally!

A dream that began in 1991 became a reality the week of May 20, as College of Business faculty, staff, and graduate students moved into a magnificent new home – Cornell Hall. Art Jago, professor of management and the college's liaison to the construction project, said, "The move went smoothly largely because everyone had their belongings packed in boxes by moving day. Clearly they were excited about their new quarters and didn't want to miss the moving van."

According to Jago, the moving company transported about 4,800 boxes from the college's former home, Middlebush Hall, to the new building. Cornell Hall contains all new furniture so no furniture (other than about 175 file cabinets for safe-keeping of archival materials in a store room in the new facility) made the move.

To Bruce Walker, dean of the College of Business, Cornell Hall is a critical part of the overall plan for the college to become one of the top-20 public business schools in the nation. Walker stated, "The new facility is not an end in itself or an end to our commitment to ongoing improvement. Rather, Cornell Hall is an important means by which we will provide our students with a better educational experience and our faculty with a superior environment for their teaching and research." As professor of accountancy, Jere Francis, noted, "The new building will serve as a catalyst to 'lift our game' and move us forward with the college's strategic plan."

The 150,000 square feet of space in the new building allows the college's faculty, staff, graduate students, academic units, and research and service agencies to be housed under one roof for the first time. Previously, the college was located primarily in Middlebush Hall but shared space in three other buildings as well. Additionally, Cornell Hall centralizes all instruction in one location. In the past, courses had been taught at four buildings across campus.

Mike Holden, director of technology services for the College of Business, summarized his first reactions to the new building, "In addition to having a much nicer office, it is gratifying to have an office in the same building as the rest of the college. It makes a difference to be able to see others in the hallways and informally talk about technology."

Summer-school instruction begins in Cornell Hall on June 11. The official dedication of Cornell Hall is scheduled for Saturday, September 7, on the MU campus. The dedication ceremony will take place in late morning, with MU's first home football game scheduled for that evening.

About Harry and Ann Cornell Hall

Construction of Cornell Hall began in late 1999 and was completed in spring 2002. Cornell Hall is located just south of the Reynolds Alumni Center on the new South Quadrangle of the University of Missouri (MU) campus. The building's 150,000 square feet of space is enhanced by a naturally lit atrium. All five and one-half floors can be viewed from the lobby.

Cornell Hall consists of 16 technology-rich classrooms, two computer classrooms, a student computer lab, informal student gathering space, a 125-seat lecture hall, a 500-seat auditorium, and 13 small breakout rooms. All classrooms in Cornell Hall have ceiling-hung projectors, a dedicated computer, a DVD/VCR player, network connections, and document cameras. Two-way video, via satellite or Internet, will be available in all classrooms, either through dedicated cameras or portable equipment. Numerous data ports have been installed in student lounge areas throughout the building.

The total cost of the new building is about $30 million. The State of Missouri provided just over $17.1 million for the facility, and MU added $750,000 to cover the cost of adjacent infrastructure work. The remaining $12 million is being provided by alumni and friends of the college, with the large majority already raised.

Over 3,300 students are pursuing degrees in accountancy, finance, management, and marketing in the College of Business, and nearly 29,000 alumni are contributing their expertise to organizations around the world. The college aspires to be one of the top 20 public business schools in the nation, distinguished by innovation and excellence in collaborative education activities with alumni, business partners, and academic colleagues.

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