Updated spaces include classrooms, labs, technology
Second, third and fourth-floor renovations of Ranger hall have finished after a long-awaited seven years. PHOTO CREDIT: Hannah Charron | Staff Photographer
Ranger Hall, the home of the University of Rhode Island’s Harrington School of Communication and Media, has finally completed its second, third and fourth floor renovations this summer after seven years.
According to URI News, the $6.3 million renovations added state-of-the-art technology for students to use and added classrooms on all three floors for Harrington courses to make Ranger Hall the ultimate resource hub for the Harrington School.
The project was done in two phases, the first taking place from 2015 to 2016 which renovated the first floor and the second was finished this summer.
Ammina Kothari, the director of Harrington School of Communication and Media and journalism professor, said that this will likely not be the last of the renovations on Ranger Hall.
“I don’t think that this is the end and that there are other areas that we would like to ratify, but it’s going to take some time as we go through the paper approval process,” Kothari said. “Ranger Hall will continue to grow with new technology and new space to ensure teachers and students learn but to be successful with support from the resources handed to them.”
Imani Fleming, a senior double majoring in journalism and political science, said that she and many other Harrington students rarely had classes in Ranger until this semester. Prior to the latest round of renovations, there were only four working classrooms in the building. Because of this, many Harrington classes were in other buildings.
“So now we are all able to benefit off of the construction or the renovations,” Fleming said. “Ranger is a beautiful building with state-of-the-art technology. Students will be able to learn to take advantage of it.”
Assistant professor of writing and rhetoric Leah Heilig has been teaching virtually since 2020, so teaching in-person at Ranger is brand new to her.
“I teach a film and video production class which involves technology so with the new resources, students are able to present their work on screens,” Heilig said. “Before, students lacked in conversation with each other because they only faced the teacher. Now, the active learning classrooms provide circle tables for students to engage with each other.”
She added that because she taught virtually, Ranger’s renovations made it easier to get back into in-person teaching not only for her but students too because she’s surrounded by all this space big enough for her and her students to restart building skills too.
Jason Jaacks, an assistant professor of journalism and film media, said that because of the renovations he was forced to relocate his courses to Rodman Hall. Now, all of his classes are back in Ranger.
“My students will benefit from the media because for my classes we use cameras in order to build their skills for advanced computing in post production,” Jaacks said.
Jaacks also said that his courses are very hands-on and having those kinds of spaces are beneficial because it inspires collaboration.
Even though the building is already open for students and faculty use, the Harrington School is holding a grand opening ceremony on October 21 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the Quad and in Ranger Hall.