Kent State University at Geauga planning major renovations

Renovations to the campus of Kent State University at Geauga are following three key themes, according to administrators. First, the improvements strive to demonstrate the university's commitment to making the campus a desirable education destination. The second theme is improvement in student experience, and the third is to strengthen the campus identity within the community. Kent State University at Geauga kept these themes in mind when it chose three projects to focus on. 

The biggest and costliest renovation on campus will be the upgrades to the nursing school facilities, and will meet the first of the themed goals. Currently, the university has only four patient beds for students to practice their clinical skills. With the planned improvements, that number will increase to eight and the space will be reorganized so that students will be able to collaborate more easily. The extra beds will nearly double the capacity of the program, which will be able to seat 36 students at a time, compared to its current limit of 20. This has the added benefit of enabling the university to graduate more nurses as demand in the field only grows.

In addition to the new beds, the nursing school will also have two new simulation labs. As Dean and Chief Administrative Officer of Kent State University at Geauga, Angela Spalsbury, said in an article published by The News-Herald, "They provide our nursing students with hands-on interaction with a variety of simulations and simulated patients. By practicing these mock scenarios, students can carry out critical decision making skills in a risk free teaching environment."

In an effort to improve the student experience, Kent State University at Geauga is going to renovate the student lounge, which administrators admit hasn't received much updating since the campus was built in the 1970s. In order to address that, the current learning commons space will be transformed into a multipurpose area. The removal of a wall will combine the current student lounge with the space that is now the nursing lab, increasing usable space for students to collaborate, socialize, or study individually. Students will also be able to access library services from the reimagined space, as well as grab a bite to eat.

Improvements to the student lounge area will also include the addition of a cafe. Currently, vending machines provide the only food available on campus. The addition of the cafe was in response to student demand. As Spalsbury explained, "One complaint that we hear over and over from students is they want food service, so our plan is to remove those vending machines and to put in some type of cafe and coffee shop."

The third renovation project planned by Kent State University at Geauga will take place in the outdoor patio area. The space is adjacent to the student lounge and features picnic tables and a garden. The patio faces the back of the campus property, but will soon face a new K-12 school currently under construction. The patio area and entrance will receive a facelift with new signage being installed. The university wants to maintain a good image within the community. "Because the new school is going to be built and this will be the entrance that students or visitors from that school will see, our plan is to add more vibrant signage so visitors know that this is Kent State in their community," Spalsbury said.

Renovations will begin during the summer when fewer students are on campus. Fundraising is underway to help with the costs of improving the nursing school facilities.