Lind Hall Renovation

Statement of Need

Known for many years as the Main Engineering Building, Lind Hall was built in 1912. The building was renamed in 1975 after Samuel Colville Lind, the first dean of the Institute of Technology in 1935. The first floor of the building currently houses the Institute of Technology Student Services programs as well as the main office of the world-renowned Institute for Mathematics and its Applications.

Every Institute of Technology alumnus passed through the doors of this historic building many times during their college days. A visit to today’s Lind Hall clearly shows that the building does not meet the technology-driven demands of Millennial Generation students. The facilities are in disrepair and offices are configured in isolation from one another preventing seamless services for students. Students have no gathering place and display space is disjointed and old-fashioned.

Renovation plans would enable staff with similar job functions to be grouped together creating an environment where they can share best practices and meet the increasing needs of future students. The entrance to the building would be opened up to encourage immediate interaction with staff enabling students to be quickly directed to their destination for services. The renovation would also create digital display space for the college highlighting the latest information, a gallery that highlights the Institute of Technology’s proud history and a casual meeting place for students.

The Lind Hall renovation has strategically been planned in tandem with a reorganization of the staffing structure for Institute of Technology Student Services. The new staffing assignments will provide stronger more seamless support to meet the critical needs of future leaders.

The reorganization goals include:

• strengthening undergraduate advising so that every student has the same professional advisor from their first day at the University until they graduate;
• enhancing career planning services and opportunities;
• boosting support and opportunities for international learning, and
• focusing resources on diversity initiatives to attract more women and students of color to science and engineering careers.

The Lind Hall renovation would also provide industry partners with one, convenient location on campus where they can interact with Institute of Technology administrative leaders and with students to talk about jobs, internships and other partnership opportunities.

In addition, the newly renovated Lind Hall will serve as a welcome center for alumni visiting campus and a central gathering location for Institute of Technology alumni during campus events such as Homecoming or the Alumni Association’s Annual Celebration.