Our new academic building - The Roe Center
Central College demonstrates its commitment to students, energy conservation and environmental responsibility with our new 57,460 gross square foot academic building. The building provides new classroom and instructional space for three of Central’s academic departments, education, psychology and communication studies. It also houses Central’s Office of Community-Based Learning and Center for Global Sustainability Education.
Central has a long tradition of excellence. This tradition was built by our dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and our commitment to empowering students with skills that help them succeed in their careers and in life. As we live our mission of helping students discover and reach their highest potential, we need to provide them with the facilities and resources to do so.
Central receives platinum LEED rating
Central College was awarded a platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating from the U.S. Green Building Council for its newly constructed education, psychology and communication studies building, which opened this past fall. Read more.
Central meets Kresge Challenge
Central College met The Kresge Foundation’s challenge by raising $3.59 million for the Roe Center, which opened in August, and received a $850,000 grant. Read more.
Department Collaboration
This model makes the psychology, education and communication studies programs at Central highly distinctive in Iowa. The opportunity to share space offers exciting possibilities:
- collaboration across departments;
- easy coordination of programs, international education experiences, service-learning projects and experiential learning opportunities that will benefit students in all three departments; and to
- strengthen student-faculty research collaboration both within and across departments.
Education
- Student interest in the teacher preparation programs continues to grow;
- increased enrollments, expanded curricular offerings, and unique program needs utilize new and specially developed space for teacher preparation; and
- space is now available for conferences, workshops, and specially designed learning activities for youth supporting Central’s mission of service to the profession and larger community.
Psychology
- The new facility provides cutting edge technology, a dramatic upgrade from prior technology limitations in the department’s old space;
- new interview/observation rooms create opportunities for improved teaching and learning; and
- space is now available to host groups such as the Iowa Teachers of Psychology and the Iowa Psychological Association.
Communication Studies
- Communication studies majors and faculty will have the opportunity to develop a better sense of community within the major and in collaboration with the other departments; and
- flexible and technology savy classrooms will allow professors to do new and exciting things with curriculum.
LEED certification
Central College is a leader in the Midwest for sustainability. In recent years, Central made a commitment to create an environmentally-friendly community with a strong emphasis on sustainability.The college has achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s top rating, platinum, for the building making this our third Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-rated building on campus.
Energy Savings
- Green roof — filters and reduces roof water run-off and lowers roof temperature to ease energy consumption.
- Sustainable building site — building orientation and surrounding landscape features maximize solar gain in winter and minimize solar load in summer.
- Natural ventilating system — smart operable windows indicate to the HVAC system to stop mechanical cooling and increase natural ventilation when opened.
- Daylight harvesting systems — automatically dim or switch off artificial lighting when sunlight through windows and skylights is available.
- Radiant floor heating/cooling system — pipes under the floors help to heat and cool the building, reducing the requirements of the air moving system.
Building photos
Making a gift
Room naming opportunities and naming bricks are still available. For details please contact the development office at 1-800-447-0287.
To make an on-line gift go to our on-line giving page and specify "The Roe Center" under other in the gift information section. Your donation is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
