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NSC’s Brand New Liberal Arts and Sciences Building Opens its Doors for Fall Semester

Aug 19, 2008 | Campus News

by Jessica Kusak
The opening of the Liberal Arts and Sciences building ushers in a new era at Nevada State College. In May 2007, ground was broken in the southeast foothills of Henderson. This fall, NSC opens the doors to this first building constructed on the institution’s more than 500-acre campus site. It is an exciting and important milestone in the college’s first six years of providing academic excellence.
We now have a catalyst in this new, superb facility to spark a chain reaction of explosive growth, said Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dr. Andy Kuniyuki.
Since last year’s groundbreaking, the NSC campus community literally witnessed the building come together, anticipating the move to the classrooms and offices. Over the summer, LAS faculty packed up their offices at the Dawson building and moved up the road.
The new Liberal Arts and Sciences building is a 42,000-square-foot facility nestled in its scenic desert landscape overlooking the Henderson and Las Vegas Metropolitan area, arguably the best view in town. Boasting 42 offices, six classrooms, four science labs, two auxiliary classrooms and a fully functioning seismograph providing the best instrumentation in Southern Nevada for detecting earthquake activity, NSC students and faculty have a new setting where inspiration and creativity will flourish.
Walking through the spacious halls of the new building, eyes are immediately drawn to the progressive architecture, which is evident in the airy ceilings, opulent metal staircases and lush desert mural tones.
The four science laboratories, two each dedicated to biology and chemistry, will give NSC students the opportunity to learn in a highly professional setting. We offer state-of-the-art functionality in the lecture rooms and science labs, said Dr. Kuniyuki, as he talks enthusiastically about the innovative equipment available in the classrooms. Students will have the rare opportunity to become proficient on equipment which is not available at many institutions, making them attractive applicants to competitive biotechnology firms across the country when they graduate. Additionally, the advanced equipment will provide enhanced research opportunities for NSC students.
Many of the student services at NSC will also benefit from the additional space at the LAS building. For example, the editorial staff for The Scorpion’s Tale, NSC’s student produced newspaper, will take residence in the LAS building.
Another room will be dedicated to the Student Academic Center. Our new location allows the Student Academic Center to better assist the student population, as the new atmosphere is more conducive for learning, says Elia Bell, Student Coordinator of the Student Academic Center. With the additional space, the staff of the SAC is able to continue its vision of creating an academic community of students who possess the necessary skills to succeed at Nevada State College and beyond.
The two spacious auxiliary rooms provide an area where students can congregate and study quietly between classes. This space is going to be so beneficial for students. We’ll have less distraction and extra space to study, says April Ringewold, NSC Junior.
Classrooms and labs at the new LAS building are fully equipped with technology fostering a heightened interactive experience for students and teachers. For example, the iClicker is available in all of the classrooms, a learning tool in which the teacher can present a question to the class and students answer through the handheld iClicker. Their answers are then instantly displayed on the projection screen. This technology allows teachers to quickly gauge how students are comprehending lessons, ensuring students have an understanding of what is being taught.
Faculty members, like Dr. Jason Lee, are extremely enthusiastic about the new building’s first-class accommodations. Dr. Lee, a Mathematics Professor, has even noticed an amusing fact about one the LAS classrooms. All of our math classes are scheduled in Room 123. What better place to learn your one- two- threes than in Room 123!
The Liberal Arts and Sciences Building not only opens new doors to the students and faculty of NSC, but to the community as well. The LAS building provides a glimpse into the future of what is yet to come for NSC’s integrated campus. The unique master plan for the future of our campus will truly serve the community with a K-8 school, medical clinic, student and faculty housing and town center.
The new LAS building is not just another facility to the students and faculty at NSC. The NSC community is excited about the opening of the Liberal Arts and Sciences building for so many different reasons. But Dr. Lee sums it up well when he says, we now have a real place to call home.