The Media, Film and Journalism (MFJS) department of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) School has announced plans for a new building. The new space will house a number of AHSS programs, possibly including the recent Liberal Arts Advantage initiative, according to Lynn Schofield Clark, associate professor and director of the Estlow International Center for Journalism and New Media.
Clark said the new construction will offer more opportunities for collaboration and provide some new spaces for film screenings, research and presentations.
“DU is willing to invest in this,” said Clark. “It is a signal that they want this to be a priority and building plans are underway.”
Clark said the proposed space is the parking lot between the Morgridge College of Education and Sturm Hall. The aim is to “foster and build” interesting experiences across disciplines, so that many departments can be absorbed and be all in one building. The building will house the the MFJS program and the LAA (which focuses on liberal arts outside the classroom). Other programs are undetermined, but the space is set aside for all AHSS students.
“The new building will possibly be connected to Sturm via the fourth floor and to Driscoll as well,” said Clark.
While planning for the building is still in the early concept stages, Clark said that there is a lot of “excitement” for the plans.
Clark mentioned that she and several professors have been meeting with an architect who has proposed some initial design concepts. They have collectively created plans to bring together groups from various AHSS areas. The project is still in the preliminary concept stages.
According to Clark, the next stage in the process is fundraising, closely linked to building naming opportunities; large gifts will be needed to fund the program.
“We are reaching out to alumni, students and current faculty and staff,” said Clark. “A lead gift must be at least two million dollars.”
Clark said that it was fundraising and donations in the past that made renovations on the 1950s-era Mass Comm building possible, including a studio renovation a little over a decade ago.
“The MFJS building has not been renovated for a long time and it makes more sense for us to make this a priority,” said Clark. “[MFJS] is one of the larger majors, with about 200 undergrads and 60 grads and they deserve better facilities.”
According to Clark, this construction is a few years out, but she hopes that it proves to be a media platform towards the greater DU community.
“It obviously takes a lot of foresight to create spaces that are now very popular; the Anderson Academic Commons is a good model,” said Clark. “We want the new space to best reflect what we want to be and support changing needs.”
