DATE: October 05, 2007

CONTACT: Steve Copeland, (864) 656-0983
copelan@clemson.edu

WRITER: Robin S. Denny, (864) 656-2061 (wk), 207-1152 (cell)
robin.denny@clemsonews.clemson.edu


Clemson trustees name new building, approve seven facility project proposals

CLEMSON – Clemson University plans to break ground soon for a new 28,000-square-foot building that will house components of the packaging science and graphic communications departments and be named for one of the school’s major donors: Harris A. Smith, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Smith Container Corp.

The announcement came at Friday's meeting of the board of trustees.

Harris A. Smith Packaging Science buildingSmith recently sold the 97-year-old, family-owned rigid packaging company, headquartered in Atlanta, to a global packaging company. He decided to invest in higher education to support the packaging industry his family helped define.
 
Smith has made gifts and pledges totaling $3.5 million to Clemson and Sonoco has contributed $2.5 million for the academic building, which will house the Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics and related programs. The three-level building will include studios, labs and offices that will serve up to 500 students every year.

The new building is one of seven facility projects the trustees discussed and approved. The others include:

  • Academic Success Center: a new multi-story facility to include 12 classrooms, tutorial and seminar space, a computer lab and offices. The project is sponsored by the Class of 1956. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2008 for occupancy in fall 2009.
  • Earle Hall high bay conversion to three floors of labs and offices
  • Innovation Center: a new 40,000-square-foot building in the Advanced Materials Research Park in Anderson County to provide space for incubator company research
  • Kinard laboratory: improvements to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems
  • Rhodes Hall annex: an additional 28,000 square feet to house bioengineering labs, offices and classrooms. Construction is scheduled to begin in November and be completed in spring 2009.
  • West Zone: improvements and additions to three levels to accommodate coach offices, team meeting rooms, and weight-training, conditioning and equipment areas. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2008 and end in spring 2009.

Clemson Vice President for Research and Economic Development Chris Przirembel reported that external funding of university research for 2006-07 totaled $141.4 million, the highest in the school’s history.

“This total reflects outstanding achievement by faculty and staff across the university,” he said. “This is not just a number; it’s a commitment to excellence and to the involvement of our outstanding researchers in solving the world’s problems.”

The College of Engineering and Science leads the university in sponsored research, but Przirembel said there is an increase in research activity – and thus in external funding for research – across all five colleges and other funded areas.

Clemson is focusing its research efforts in eight critical emphasis areas that match the university’s strengths and South Carolina’s economic activity.

In other action, the trustees:

  • approved a resolution acknowledging a prescriptive easement in Pickens County to Swann Family Partnership, LLC;
  • approved the fiscal year 2008 internal audit plan and a five-year contract for external audits with Elliott Davis accounting firm for a total of $589,800; and
  • authorized the administration to implement agreements to demolish unusable structures at the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston.
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Editors: See more images of the packaging science and graphic communication building here.