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Auditorium Grand Opening will be Aug. 19

A side view of the college's new auditorium, which is nearing completion.

A grand opening dedication to mark completion of the college’s new 160-seat auditorium will be held Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.

Dean Glen Hoffsis said that during the program, he plans to showcase the capabilities of the auditorium, including how it will be used to enhance distance education endeavors at the college.

Dr. Paul Gibbs, associate dean for students and instruction, will “conference in” with his counterpart at the Royal College in London in real time, Hoffsis said.

“He will appear on the screen,which is the entire front wall of the auditorium,” Hoffsis said. “He will be able to visualize the audience in the auditorium via cameras strategically located in the room, and will also be able to hear comments from anyone in the room due to strategically located speakers.”

Having this high quality, specifically designed technology allows access to professors from anywhere in the world, the dean said.

“We will be limited only by our own innovation as to how we employ it for the education of our students and for continuing education events,” Hoffsis said.

Located in the southeast corner of the building complex at SW 16th Avenue, the new facility will seat 160 people.

Hoffsis proudly listed some of the auditorium’s features.

“The room is modestly sloped and spacious, so it creates a pleasant environment,” he said. “There are windows that have remote-controlled blinds capable of rendering the room totally dark. The seating is at benches equipped with electrical outlets and wireless Internet service. All floors are carpeted and the chairs are comfortable, detached and movable. This auditorium will provide the first-rate teaching space our students deserve, and that’s the most important objective.”

The auditorium also will also accommodate the expanded enrollment that will surely occur over the next several years, Hoffsis added.

The first 12 additional students who were part of the college’s expanded enrollment plan began their veterinary studies at UF last fall, upping the number of freshman students from the traditional 88 to 100.

“To continue to expand our enrollment, we need to provide the physical space for lectures, labs and clinics. One thing is for certain; the new auditorium will be an asset for decades to come and will remain a state of the art facility among the best anywhere. It was built large enough to meet the needs of students and CE and other events for well into the future.”