Graduate school remodels to increase efficiency


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The USC Graduate School moved into its new offices Aug. 11 after two months of renovations during the summer.

The renovation aimed to manipulate office space to better accommodate graduate school staff and provide better services for students,Vice Provost for Planning and Budget, Robert Cooper, said.

Office space · The USC Graduate School moved into its newly renovated office in Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315 on Aug. 11. During the summer, the office was temporarily located in The Lot. - Carlo Acenas | Daily Trojan

The creation of more alcoves and the relocation of the office’s entrance will contribute to a quieter atmosphere in the office, Cooper said.

“[It will] provide a quiet workspace for staff and graduate students who work in the office,” Cooper said.

Joe Back, associate senior vice president for campus development and facilities management, also said that the office’s new layout provides for a more efficient work environment.

“The office layout was revised to create more offices and a conference room was added,” Back said. “The entry location was changed to be more convenient. The remodeled area also got new carpet and paint.”

Funding for the project, which began in June, came from the general fund, Cooper said.

Because of the renovations, the Graduate School moved to The Lot — a temporary structure built as a food court during construction of the campus center in 2008 — during the week of June 13.

During the office’s temporary move, there was no reduction in services for graduate students, Cooper said. The graduate school office re-opened at its permanent location, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall 315, on Aug. 11.

The Lot will now be used as “surge space” until summer 2012, Back said.

“Surge space is space that is generally not assigned on a permanent basis and is available for temporary assignment in order to perform renovation or maintenance work in [a] permanent location,” Back said.

Cooper said the university plans to remove The Lot next summer.

“Next summer, at the same time that the new addition to Seeley G. Mudd is done, [The Lot] will be taken down,” Cooper said.

The addition will house the new Brain and Creativity Institute, which is already under construction.