Renovation Project Overview

Today, wireless access is vital to the learning and teaching processes. Nationwide, 87% of first-year students come to college with mobile computers. Online learning-management systems, such as Blackboard, have achieved wide adoption among faculty and students.

At USC, wireless coverage is expanding, student use of mobile computing is on the rise, and 52% of USC courses use Blackboard. Currently, 72% of the faculty and 86% of the students have at least one course in Blackboard.

In an effort to support teaching and learning in flexible ways, USC Information Technology Services (ITS) has launched a comprehensive five-year project to enhance all general-use learning spaces to support this changing landscape.

Phase one was completed in summer 2010 and focused on the spaces most in need of improvement—53 general-assignment classrooms, two auditoria, and all three ITS-managed computing centers on the University Park campus.

The renovation project addresses four key goals:

• Flexibility: Replacing classroom furniture so that it is better suited for mobile computing and more flexible to facilitate multiple instructional strategies and support collaboration.


• Technological Standardization: Establishing one technology standard to ensure consistency from classroom to classroom, help faculty and students acquire the skills they need to effectively use technology, and eliminate the need to reserve basic audiovisual equipment.


• Ubiquitous Wireless: Creating a robust wireless environment, providing sufficient power and outlets for student and faculty laptop use, and offering wireless printing capacity in the ITS-managed computing centers.


• Sustainability: Using eco-friendly and sustainable furnishings, carpeting, and other materials, and incorporating energy-efficient lighting and new computers for significant savings to the university.