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Introduction
On Thursday, September 19, 2002, ground was broken on a new building that will house the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature, and The Daily Iowan.

"The new building is an opportunity to showcase the rich tradition of journalism and mass communication education at the University of Iowa," notes Pamela Creedon, Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. "It shows the students and faculty that the University is committed to our future and it is critical for us to attract the best and the brightest students and faculty. And, we are delighted to be re-united with the Daily Iowan under one roof again. The synergy between our program and the DI is an important aspect of our undergraduate student experience."

Plans call for a three story, 65,500 square foot structure, which will hold some 14 classrooms, as well as broadcast studios, laboratories, offices, and meeting spaces. The building's features will include a tiered classroom for film screenings and technological classrooms designed to accommodate the increasing enrollments in the cinema program, particularly in film and video editing. A second-floor bridge provides ready access to the film production studios of the Becker Communication Studies Building. Cinema and Comparative Literature chairman Alan Nagel observes "Our department for the first time will have common workspace, and the capacity to meet constantly growing demand for courses in cinema, literature, translation, and film/video/digital production."

"Over the years the DI has been consistently one of the best college papers in the country, and the last two years we were awarded the highest award given to college newspapers, The Pacemaker," says Daily Iowan publisher William Casey. "We look very forward to the new building and continuing to serve the University of Iowa community for many years into the future.

George Hollins, UI director of design and construction services, says the building is designed to accommodate the increasing overlap among print, broadcast, and internet news delivery. "Broadcast studios, newspaper offices, and cyber spaces are integrated in the design, in much the same way they're integrated in the profession."

The new building will be located immediately west of the Becker Communications Studies Building and north of the Main Library, near the intersection of Iowa Avenue and Madison Street. Completion is expected by the end of 2004.

Related News Stories
September 16, 2002: Ground breaking
September 12, 2002: Couple gives $3 million for Journalism Building
April 10, 2002: Announcement of new building