CHaSS plans for new Center for Languages and Cultures building

Utah State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences may have a new central location on campus if plans for the Center for Languages and Culture are approved.

The new 60,000 square foot building would be located between Old Main and Ray B. West in place of an existing parking lot. The project, which would cost about $24 million, was discussed in the Utah Board of Regents meeting Sept. 21 and will be considered by the state legislature and building board.

If built, the center would house the Languages, Philosophy, Communication Studies department and the Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology department, both of which are currently located in Old Main. It would also house Utah Public Radio and the Museum of Anthropology.

“An expanded and reimagined museum space will permit us to better serve our community providing a venue that can accommodate larger groups,” said Molly Cannon, the director of the anthropology museum. “We also look forward to a new collections room that can adequately care for our current collection and future materials.

Cannon said the new building would provide more space for events and programming as well as more space for collections.

“The Museum of Anthropology is a collecting institution,” Cannon said. “However, our current collections room is at capacity and we are not in a position to accept additional large collections to grow the museum’s ethnographic and archaeological collections.”

UPR currently operates in a small building west of the tennis courts — far from where most journalism classes are stationed. The building also limits production in that several of the studios are not soundproof and there is not adequate heating or air conditioning.

For CHaSS professors, the potential of a more central location eases some frustrations about classes being spread out all over campus.

“My classes are sometimes in the library, family life or Old Main. As an adjunct professor, my classes being scattered across campus makes me feel like I don’t have a connection with other professors in my department,” said Communication Studies Professor Tom Worthen. “It makes me feel more isolated.”

McKenna Allred, the student senator for CHaSS, said the potential for a new building is “very exciting.”

“Great things are coming for CHaSS and I’m excited to come back as an alumnus and see it when it’s done,” she said.

Joe Ward, the dean of CHaSS, said the plans for the building are still in the very early stages and, if approved, would not be completed for at least several years.

“Discussion about a new building began several years ago under Dean Allen,” Ward said. “This is still only a concept. We are seeking state support, which may take a few more years. But we hope to use this space to consolidate some of our programs that are scattered around campus, provide much better teaching and research space and enhance our college’s outreach through the museum and UPR.”

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