New Psychology and Counseling Building Promotes ResearchOpportunities

VALDOSTA -- 365bet中文 faculty, staff, and 学生 joined members of the community and guests at the dedication of the new Psychology and 咨询中心 on June 23.

帕特里克·J. Schloss welcomed the guests and applauded the university’s Planning and Budget Council for funding the $5 million 项目.

Located on main campus within the Pedestrian Mall, the new 33,000-square-foot facility includes six classrooms, two computer labs, a 160-seat auditorium, 诊所al space, offices for psychology and counseling faculty, and administrative offices for the 研究生 School and Sponsored Programs and Research 政府.

The impact on academics will be dramatic according to Dr. 罗伯特。 Bauer, who has served a head of the Psychology and Counseling 自1988年以来的部门.

“The former location of the Department of Psychology and Counseling had limited classrooms in size and number, no research laboratories, and no 诊所,” said Bauer, who has taught at 在瓦尔多斯塔州工作了23年. “这座新建筑有教室大小 from exclusive seminar to an auditorium with 160 seats--there are teaching and research laboratories, data collection rooms, and a 诊所. Faculty offices are located in the same building, which will allow for a more direct interaction between faculty and 学生.”

Bauer said that more than a decade ago, when the College of Education was experiencing rapid growth, there was an urgent need to relocate some programs from the Education Center. 这个部门 of Psychology and Counseling moved to the former Georgia Power Building, approximately one mile from main campus on the corner of 戈登及帕特森街.

“The facility provided pleasant offices but had limited classroom space and no research laboratories or 诊所s,” Bauer told the more 100 faculty, staff, 学生 and community leaders who attended the 官方奉献. “我们有三间教室可以 共可容纳84名学生. 大约有700名学生 week taking classes in the previous location. 教师和学生 were shuttling back and forth to teach and take classes on the main 校园的日常.”

The new building, positioned within the academic hub of the campus, provides more opportunities for faculty and 学生 to engage in 研究与临床实践.

“In spite of the previously limited facilities, psychology and counseling faculty and 学生 have always done research 一起，”鲍尔说. “这个设施会适应的 undergraduate and graduate 学生 in research and scholarly production to the extent not possible before. 的机会 research, presentation of research, and its publication will grow 戏剧性的.”

Dr. David Monetti, professor and education field experience coordinator, expressed his excitement for the new facility and especially the opportunity for 学生 and faculty to collaborate 扩大研究活动.

“I am thrilled and we have really been looking forward to the opening of the building,” said Monetti, who arrived at Valdosta 1999年的州. “We are excited about the new opportunities that the 给学生的建筑礼物. 这个设施会给他们一个 21st century learning environment complete with technology and lab space that should help us better prepare 学生 to be critical 快速变化的经济中的思想家. 我们非常自豪我们的 学生和项目. A facility of this quality will truly help us showcase the collaborative research of our faculty and 学生.”

The new 诊所 will primarily serve as a training facility and within a year offer services to public schools, courts, rehabilitation services, and other needing psychological and 咨询服务.

In addition to the new 诊所, the Center for the Study of Gifted 会设在三楼吗.

指导:博士. James Reffel，心理学教授 counseling, the center will provide assessment, counseling and parent consultation for 学生 identified as gifted.

The Georgia Department of Education defines a gifted education student as one who “demonstrates a high degree of intellectual and/or creative ability(ies), exhibits an exceptionally high degree of motivation, and/or excels in specific academic fields, and who needs special instruction and/or special ancillary services to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her ability(ies).”
With approximately nine percent of Georgia school-aged children identified as “gifted,” Reffel said the new center will deliver vital educational support and resources for 学生, parents and 老师.

“These 学生 have unique needs, often times there is a myth that gifted children are fine and they will make it on their own--that they do not need any special accommodations or support,” said 自1997年以来一直是教职员工. “实际上，它们是不同的 from their age-mates and they might have some adjustment problems and certainly their academic needs may not be met. 他们可能不是 challenged and as a result they may act out or engage in behaviors 比如退出.”

萨凡纳公司埃尔金斯建筑公司.他当过将军 contractor and local firm Ellis, Ricket and Associates provided 建筑服务.

For more information on the Psychology and Counseling Building, 访问 http://ssxy.ant-cctv.com/news/media/2011/06/psychology/