DANBURY, CONN. — After a few months of planning and hard work, officials at Western Connecticut State University will celebrate the opening of a new computer lab at the Westside Campus Center, Lake Avenue Extension, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

“We’re very excited to bring people into this great new building so they can use it and see it, perhaps for the first time,” said Joe Sousa, University Computing IT Lab Support and Training Assistant. “It will also help greatly for the demand for more student technology services.”

The new “Campus Center Computer Center,” which opened on Sept. 2, is on the third floor of the Westside Campus Center. It is now one of two computer labs on the Westside campus; the other is in the Ancell classroom building. The university’s two other computer labs are on the Midtown campus. The new lab has 29 computers, two scanners and two laser printers. There are 66 computers in the Ancell building computer lab. The new center will have similar hours to the existing lab, including late nights and weekends.

Sousa said all of the university’s computer labs have been recently upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment. All of the upgrades and the new computer lab were funded 100 percent by the university’s student technology fees.

With students filling every desk at the computer labs on a regular basis, Sousa said the need for more room became overwhelming and the space was available. The new computer lab was formerly a student lounge that Sousa said was hardly used.

“There is a demand for more seats in our other labs. The Ancell computing lab is routinely full,” Sousa said. “We want to provide more computers and also more support to students. It’s not just a 24-hour lab, we offer support.”

“It will also increase our student workforce,” Sousa said. More than 25 students are employed by the computer labs each semester. The new center will add about 15 more part-time positions.

For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

 
Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.