Auburn Board of Trustees approves project for College of Human Sciences building

A new building to house the growing number of students and many nationally recognized programs in Auburn’s College of Human Sciences is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Auburn Board of Trustees on Sept. 9 approved a project to enable the College of Human Sciences to provide a newly constructed home for its many related disciplines.

“This vote of support is a significant step toward a new building for the College of Human Sciences,” said Susan Hubbard, dean of the College of Human Sciences. “I’m thrilled we have reached the point of project initiation as this is a critical step in allowing planning and preparation, including considering an architect for a new College of Human Sciences facility that will take us into the future.”

The discussions for the need of an upgraded facility for the college can be traced back nearly 30 years. As the decades passed and enrollment has grown, a new facility became more than a want, but a need to adequately accommodate the college’s growing student enrollment, research activity and studio/lab spaces.

Spidle Hall, constructed in 1962 as the original home to the then-School of Home Economics, was built to accommodate approximately 150 students; College of Human Sciences enrollment now stands close to 1,750. The growth is consistent considering the College of Human Sciences has grown 51% in the last 20 years.

“The units of the college are spread out in eight buildings across campus so a new facility will allow us to bring our faculty and staff together and encourage more collaboration throughout the programs,” Hubbard said. “It will also give our students enrolled in top nationally ranked and recognized human sciences programs, the state-of-the-art facilities they deserve.

Hubbard emphasized what a building communicates, serving as a front door, impacting current and prospective students, faculty and staff.  

“A facility is vital to the image and strength of our nationally ranked programs within the college,” Hubbard said. “We are eager to begin planning for gallery space that we’ve never had before to showcase the award-winning work of our students, while working toward meeting the many needs of our diverse programs, including appropriate studio space, laboratories and educational classrooms outfitted with current technology. It is very exciting to see what many have envisioned and worked for over multiple decades come to fruition.”