Something special renewed at NIU

For thousands of Northern Illinois University students who began the new semester Tuesday in a technology-rich classroom at Cole Hall, the occasion must represent something special. But it may be even more important to realize what the renovated building will mean to future NIU students.

Perhaps, in the words of university President John Peters, the reopening of Cole Hall Tuesday is the “inspirational” embodiment of the “Forward. Together Forward” spirit that serves as the school’s motto. It is at least symbolic of any new beginning, the excitement of promising horizons.

But, of course, this is not just any new building. Nor, technically, is it a new building at all. It’s a $6 million renovation of the aging 1960s-era structure where a gunman strode into a geology classroom four years ago, killed five students and wounded at least 19 others before taking his own life. The architects note that some new spaces have been added to Cole Hall, but most of the learning spaces in the building have been preserved — just transformed.

From the beginning, NIU officials and students alike have emphasized that this is not a place to focus on tragedy; this is a place to focus on learning. And the new Cole Hall emphasizes that distinction.

The Collaboratory Classroom area of the building features six learning pods where students can engage with educational material on a 65-inch digital touch screen. NIU officials call it one of the most cutting-edge educational settings anywhere. The hall’s Anthropology Museum offers a premium museum exhibition setting as well as spaces where students and teachers can customize displays. The Jameson Auditorium incorporates the high-tech application of wireless devices with seating that encourages face-to-face learning in small groups.

“Professors now will be able to present their materials in new and more compelling ways, and students will not only interact with educational materials intellectually, but also physically,” said geography professor Lesley Rigg, associate dean for research and graduate affairs, who taught previously in Cole Hall, in a news release. “It’s going to be an interactive experience unlike any other they’ve had in a school setting.”

The Valentine’s Day, 2008, tragedy at Northern will never be forgotten, nor should it be. But neither should it define the university, and the revitalizing of Cole Hall, largely supported through a state grant, honors the victims of that horrible day in the best way possible — with a commitment to the highest standards of learning.

For many of today’s NIU students, especially seniors who may personally remember Feb. 14, 2008, the opening of Cole Hall may be special for its symbolism. But for the tens of thousands of students who will experience the building in the future, it will be just special. And that is as it should be.