Renovations Ramp Up Flexibility of Business School

Renovations have continued in Rockwell Hall, home to the business school.

Students collaborate in the renovated Rockwell Room 603.

Through a $55,500 grant from the A.J. and Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust, important technology updates and other physical renovations have been made in Room 603, a classroom with personal computers at every seat that supports more than 700 students and 20 classes each semester. The installation of new technology followed Room 603’s physical overhaul. The business school also is replacing the room’s personal computers. The room, ready for the fall semester, features:

  • An updated podium
  • Two digital projectors and two new drop-down screens
  • A 65-inch touchscreen monitor
  • A wireless microphone
  • New carpeting, reupholstered seating and paint.

“Classroom technology changes quickly, so renovations like this are vital if we want to stay on the cutting edge and provide a comfortable and effective learning environment for our business students,” said Dr. Dean McFarlin, dean of the business school and administrator for the grant. “Moreover, business success requires collaboration. This update provides the tools to enhance faculty-student engagement and to encourage interaction among students.”

This is the latest renovation in Rockwell Hall, which recently included upgrades on the third and fifth floors:

  • A collaboration-oriented and technology-filled classroom in Room 308. A 65-inch touch screen monitor shared with six flat-screen monitors in the room as well as students’ laptops, tablets and smartphones. The furniture and open room layout create opportunities for team projects and collaborations.
  • A redesigned and expanded Thomas J. Murrin/Duquesne Light Conference Room on the fifth floor supports graduate and executive education activities. The room can be divided into three sections and reconfigured for many uses. It is outfitted with automatic LED lighting and three drop-down screens, digital projectors and overhead sound, all operated from an integrated control station.
  • A lounge on 5, a new student gathering space, promotes informal interactions with a fabulous view of downtown Pittsburgh. A great space to brainstorm, the lounge boasts multiple flat-screen monitors and comfortable furniture. Students can also share and capture ideas on a writable wall as well as glass tabletops.

In these spaces—as well as in Duquesne’s business curriculum—sustainability plays a key role. The efficient LED lighting, recycling centers and displays promoting the Principles of Responsible Management Education reinforce these values and their global impact on future leaders.