Students enjoy the new dining options available at Dividend$ in the Farmer School of Business.
The long-awaited opening of Miami University's Farmer School of Business (FSB) has changed student habits and shifted the hub of activity for business students from Upham and Laws halls to the corner of High Street and Patterson Avenue.
"I think the recurring theme that we have heard from students is they really appreciate having all of the facilities and capabilities in the building," Alan Oak, assistant dean for external relations said.
Oaks said students and faculty have been complimenting the FSB office staff consistently.
"There is space such as the library for quiet study, there's the food service for food and there are so many meeting places in the building," Oak said. "There are also nooks and crannies all over the building where people can go to do group work."
According to Oak, both faculty and students have commended the building's dining halls, break out rooms, technology and classrooms.
"The thing I like the most about the new facility has nothing to do with the technology - it is working in the classrooms that enable the facility to have direct eye contact with all of the students," Todd Bailey, clinical faculty member in FSB said.
Bailey described his individual teaching method as being more visually-oriented presentations to his students, so the terraced classrooms are his favorite feature within the new building.
"It's very important to me that I am making that direct, personal connection with everyone in the room, so to me, that is the dimension of the new facility that just resonates as a significant improvement," Bailey said.
Students also noticed the significance of the cutting-edge classrooms in their day-to-day classes as compared to the classrooms they used in the past in Upham and Laws halls.
"The classrooms are fantastic learning areas. It's bright and the colors are great. There's a lot of technology in the classrooms," senior marketing major Chris Brown said. "We're not sitting at tiny desks like we would be in Upham and Laws. There is a lot of room and we're not crammed in the classrooms. I think that's great."
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However, Brown said despite all the technology in the classrooms, one thing is missing.
"The only thing I don't like is the lack of a 24-hour computer lab or Internet computer lab open throughout the day," Brown said.
Sophomore Cam Cimala, a marketing major, said another problem students tend to face is with that of the small desktops provided for them in classrooms.
"What's really bad about it is that there are only three or four rows of desks and then everyone else gets other seats with miniature desks with the desktops that flip up that are in weird shapes that its impossible to fit your stuff on it and do your work," Cimala said.
According to sophomore marketing major Zach Mason and Brown, students are generally enthusiastic and delighted with using the new business building.
"When I go into Farmer, I feel very professional, it sets me up for success because I come inside and I'm ready to work," Mason said.
Brown agreed.
"The building is definitely one of a kind," Brown said. "It really is an honor to be a part of it."
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