Brock Hall, though the home of the English department and one of the most used buildings on campus, does not have a single classroom dedicated to English classes.
There are currently plans for a new classroom to become a solely English room, but it’s a work in progress.
A big contributor to this situation is that the number of faculty has increased, therefore, more rooms are needed as offices and classrooms.
English Department Office Manager Lisa Bilbrey Hyder is currently using the Humanities Reading Room as her office because of the lack of space. The space was intended to be a library, but there simply isn’t enough room in Brock Hall to fit everything that is currently required.
For instance, the business computer lab was originally donated by English Professor Evlyn Lindberg to be used as a classroom, but the space constraints have resulted in it becoming the lab.
Administration is supportive of the matter, but with the Bietz Center for Student Life and many other projects going on, a major Brock expansion isn’t at the top of the list of priorities and is currently on hold.
ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 are multi-major classes that everyone needs and are being taught in virtually every building on campus.
This can be confusing for new students that expect English classes to be taught in Brock, only to find out that their class is in Hickman, Daniells or Summerour.
English Department Chair Keely Tary believes that teaching English in multiple buildings may encourage interaction between different departments.
“It’s good to go see how the world works outside of our ivory tower,” English Department Chair Keely Tary said.
One downside for English and history majors and minors is that there isn’t a proper lobby or office for them to hang out in. The third floor lobby is generalized, so the space can’t be branded with a specific aesthetic either way.
"It is frustrating that there isn't a central meeting place for all the English majors to spend time together,” said Anecia Ascalon, senior English major. “But we do get a lot of exercise walking to various buildings for our classes."