College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

Rendering of renovated Jody Richards Hall Student Technology Center. (Photo courtesy of Hafer)

The Jody Richards Hall Student Technology Center is getting a reboot. 

The computer lab will close at 4:30 p.m. March 15 as WKU Information Technology Services launches a project to meet the changing needs of students.

“With minimal changes made to the computer lab experience in the 20+ years since the building’s opening and significant decrease in utilization during the last five years, we aim to establish a fresh, contemporary, and welcoming environment conducive to student collaboration and study opportunities,” said Jeppie Sumpter, Assistant Vice President for Information Technology Services.

The renovation will incorporate new features including collaboration areas, meeting rooms, and study areas, while continuing to support computer workstations and printing capabilities. 

“We are excited about the changes to create a more inviting and updated space that supports better collaboration and study opportunities,” said Lori Douglas, Senior Director, Technical Support Services. “Students more commonly utilize their own devices as they want to do their work with technology they are comfortable with. The new space will be more accommodating for that kind of usage.”

The renovated space also will become the new home for TopperTech, the ITS walkup support service that allows faculty, staff and students to receive face-to-face support from qualified technicians as well as laptop reservations.

To accommodate student needs during the renovation, select computer workstations and a printer will be relocated to the Jody Richards Hall atrium.

ITS also provides multiple lab locations across campus in Cherry Hall, Grise Hall, Snell Hall and Cravens Library. Additional details and lab hours can be found at https://www.wku.edu/its/labs/.   

Students, faculty, and staff may also make use of the application streaming service, making several specialty software packages accessible from your own devices in any Internet-capable location. Learn more at https://www.wku.edu/its/appstreaming/.    

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.