At West Texas A&M University many professors have been displaced due to a $16.2 million renovation of the University’s Classroom Center. "Our quarters have been snug but certainly workable," said one A&M professor. Work is nearing completion, and once the rest of the work is done, faculty can move back into the 40-classroom building this week. Classes begin at West Texas A&M University on August 24.

Provost James Hallmark said the Classroom Center, which was built in the 1960s, previously was "marginally compliant with modern standards." Now, the center has modern elevators, new classrooms and offices, and massive technology upgrades. "We’ve been able to double the number of smart classrooms we have on campus with the renovation of that building," University President J. Patrick O’Brien said.

Elsewhere on the A&M campus, workers are in the process of transforming the former Palo Duro Hospital into a research and development office. The property, which was purchased by the university several years ago, recently was granted $1.5 million in funding from the U.S. Commerce Department. The funds jump-started the renovation project.

WT’s University Research Alliance and Alternative Energy Institute will occupy the space once it has been renovated. Asbestos abatement has been completed; this is an important step for both medical and legal reasons. Airborne asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. Work is going well, according to Tim Atchison, the interim dean of graduate school and research. "My understanding is everything is moving smoothly," Atchison said. "Our hope is by the first of the year to have this available."

School administrators also plan to break ground this fall on a $50 million sports complex just north of campus.

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