Kelley, RPS to create new living center

Huge business lecture classes will convert to a more intimate learning environment with the new Kelley Living-Learning Center.

The Kelley LLC is a partnership between Residential Programs and Services and the Kelley School of Business. It will be located in the Northwest Neighbood in McNutt-Crone and will comprise 250 students.

However, the Kelley LLC has a long-range plan in which it can expand to McNutt-Bryan in its second year of existence and to McNutt-Bordner in its third year.

The staffs of RPS and Kelley, who have been working on this project, said they are in no hurry to expand the Kelley LLC after its first year.

“We are taking it one step at a time,” said JoAnne Namy, director of undergraduate certification for Kelley. “We want to make sure we are doing it right with 250 kids. The larger it is, the harder it is to keep it a more personalized environment. Our faculty,
staff and students only stretch so far. Once we see a visible difference in engagement and academic success as a part of the 250 (students) model, we will move forward.”

The Kelley LLC will consist mostly of freshmen, and an application must be submitted to become a member. Students who register early will have a greater chance of becoming a resident.

“We want to intentionally keep it at a level where only students who want to be a part of it are in (the LLC),” said John Summerlot, McNutt residence manager.

Although the selection process is still underway, the Kelley LLC will be a diverse environment, organizers said.

There will be students from about 35 states, and there will be an equal number of male and female students in the community, said Kathleen Robbins, director of undergraduate programs for Kelley.

“It’s important to broaden horizons and work with students of different backgrounds,” Robbins said.

The Kelley LLC is taking futuristic approaches to make it fit the transitional needs of freshmen as well as the academic needs of a demanding and ever-changing business environment.

To help freshmen make the transition into the college environment, there will be a virtual community available when the residents are selected in May. The point of the virtual community is to get the uncomfortable aspect of going to college out of the way before stepping on campus, Summerlot said.

There are additional rooms being added in McNutt, including three “break-out rooms” for group work and a third classroom built specifically for business communications.

The classroom has the capability to communicate with conference classrooms across the globe, Namy said.

“Students are going out to an environment where they can’t fly around the world for a meeting,” Namy said. “That’s not going to happen anymore.”

Classes will be created specifically for Kelley LLC students. Many of the core courses that are usually huge lecture halls will be in a more intimate setting. Students will take classes in McNutt and in dorms right across the courtyard, said Namy.

The ultimate goal of the Kelley LLC is to help students become more successful in their courses and make a smooth transition into college life.

“It is our attempt to provide a smaller community in which we can bring in a lot of enrichment and get them engaged right off the bat,” Namy said.