Technology Center (Washington & Jefferson College)
Encyclopedia
The Vilar Technology Center is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College
housing the Information Technology Leadership program. It houses over 200 instructional computers for use by the Information Technology Leadership and related classes. A statue of a coal miner, representing the work ethic and spirit of Western Pennsylvania
, sits in the green space in front of the building.
The building is known as the Vilar Technology Center, in honor of alum Alberto Vilar
, who had pledged $18.1 million to construct the building. After he reneged on that pledge in 2003, the building was renamed the Technology Center and plans for it were scaled back. It is the sister building to The Burnett Center
, sharing the same architect and general contractor.
In 2007, a statue of a coal miner sculpted by local artist Alan Cottrill was erected outside the Technology Center. It is intended to represent the work ethic and spirit of Western Pennsylvania
, as well as the dream that an education can allow people a chance to escape the coal mines.
connections of the field are examined. Students in this program take a standard curriculum, augmented with focused study in one of 4 possible fields: computer science
, data discovery, information systems
, and new media technologies
.
In 2002, Pennsylvania Congressman
and former student John Murtha
, who was a long-time chair of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee
, procured a $2.7 million defense appropriation for the Information Technology Leadership program to develop a remote educational program to would train members of the National Guard in technology skills, ranging from basic computer literacy to advanced applications.
, who had pledged $15 million to the project, a pledge that would have been the largest in the college's history. His pledges for the building eventually reached $18.1 million dollars. Amid Vilar's falling fortunes during the stock market decreases in 2001 and 2002
, Vilar had reneged on a pledges to a number of organizations, including his pledge to the college. By 2003, plans for the building were scaled back and the building had been opened as the Technology Center, without reference to Vilar. In 2005, Vilar was charged with fraud and theft of money from his financial company. In a statement in 2005, the college declined to release how much of Vilar's pledge had been fulfilled.
Other, more successful, fundraising vehicles for the construction cost include donations through the "Revolutionary! The Campaign for Washington & Jefferson College" fundraising campaign. Several charitable foundations donated money to the campaign, including the Eden Hall Foundation and the Hillman Foundation. Construction costs for the building were reportedly $29.6 million. The college was able to issue a municipal bond
through the Allegheny County Higher Education Building Authority to finance a portion of the building's construction.
. Like its sister building, The Burnett Center
, the architectural plans for the Technology Center were designed by MacLachlan Cornelius & Filoni and the general contracting services were performed by The Landau Building Company.
In 2003, the building was awarded the IMI Golen Award and was a finalist for the Master Builders’ Association's Excellence in Craftsmanship Award. Construction on the building was completed in fall 2003.
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
housing the Information Technology Leadership program. It houses over 200 instructional computers for use by the Information Technology Leadership and related classes. A statue of a coal miner, representing the work ethic and spirit of Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, sits in the green space in front of the building.
The building is known as the Vilar Technology Center, in honor of alum Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar , a.k.a., Albert Vilar, is a Cuban-American investor and philanthropist from West Orange, NJ, particularly known as a patron of opera. He was tried and convicted in November 2008 on charges of money laundering, investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud,...
, who had pledged $18.1 million to construct the building. After he reneged on that pledge in 2003, the building was renamed the Technology Center and plans for it were scaled back. It is the sister building to The Burnett Center
The Burnett Center
The Howard J. Burnett Center, also known as The Burnett Center, is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. This building, named after former President Howard J. Burnett, was completed in 2001 at a cost of $12.8 million...
, sharing the same architect and general contractor.
Facilities
The Vilar Technology Center is a four floor Gothic granite building with 74000 square feet (6,874.8 m²) of floor space, including a "Global Learning Unit," classrooms, seminar rooms, and faculty and administrative offices." The building had over 200 instructional computers for use by the Information Technology Leadership and related classes The ground floor has an "Open Lab" of 39 computers for use by the campus community.In 2007, a statue of a coal miner sculpted by local artist Alan Cottrill was erected outside the Technology Center. It is intended to represent the work ethic and spirit of Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, as well as the dream that an education can allow people a chance to escape the coal mines.
Information Technology Leadership
The building was designed for, and is primarily used by, the Information Technology Leadership program. This academic discipline studies the traditional Information Technology field as a liberal art, where the core principles and interdisciplinaryInterdisciplinarity
Interdisciplinarity involves the combining of two or more academic fields into one single discipline. An interdisciplinary field crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, as new needs and professions have emerged....
connections of the field are examined. Students in this program take a standard curriculum, augmented with focused study in one of 4 possible fields: computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, data discovery, information systems
Information systems
Information Systems is an academic/professional discipline bridging the business field and the well-defined computer science field that is evolving toward a new scientific area of study...
, and new media technologies
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
.
In 2002, Pennsylvania Congressman
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is represented by Congressman Mark Critz after a special election was held on May 18, 2010 following the death of Democrat John Murtha. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R+1...
and former student John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
, who was a long-time chair of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee
United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense
The House Subcommittee on Defense is a standing subcommittee within the United States House Committee on Appropriations.-Members, 112th Congress:-External links:* Official page...
, procured a $2.7 million defense appropriation for the Information Technology Leadership program to develop a remote educational program to would train members of the National Guard in technology skills, ranging from basic computer literacy to advanced applications.
Funding
In 1999, the college announced that it would build a new building, to be called the Vilar Technology Center, named after billionaire alum and well-known opera philanthropist Alberto VilarAlberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar , a.k.a., Albert Vilar, is a Cuban-American investor and philanthropist from West Orange, NJ, particularly known as a patron of opera. He was tried and convicted in November 2008 on charges of money laundering, investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud,...
, who had pledged $15 million to the project, a pledge that would have been the largest in the college's history. His pledges for the building eventually reached $18.1 million dollars. Amid Vilar's falling fortunes during the stock market decreases in 2001 and 2002
Dot-com bubble
The dot-com bubble was a speculative bubble covering roughly 1995–2000 during which stock markets in industrialized nations saw their equity value rise rapidly from growth in the more...
, Vilar had reneged on a pledges to a number of organizations, including his pledge to the college. By 2003, plans for the building were scaled back and the building had been opened as the Technology Center, without reference to Vilar. In 2005, Vilar was charged with fraud and theft of money from his financial company. In a statement in 2005, the college declined to release how much of Vilar's pledge had been fulfilled.
Other, more successful, fundraising vehicles for the construction cost include donations through the "Revolutionary! The Campaign for Washington & Jefferson College" fundraising campaign. Several charitable foundations donated money to the campaign, including the Eden Hall Foundation and the Hillman Foundation. Construction costs for the building were reportedly $29.6 million. The college was able to issue a municipal bond
Municipal bond
A municipal bond is a bond issued by a city or other local government, or their agencies. Potential issuers of municipal bonds includes cities, counties, redevelopment agencies, special-purpose districts, school districts, public utility districts, publicly owned airports and seaports, and any...
through the Allegheny County Higher Education Building Authority to finance a portion of the building's construction.
Planning, design, and construction
The plans for the four-story Gothic granite building took place during the tenure of President Brian C. MitchellBrian C. Mitchell
Brian Christopher Mitchell is the former president of Bucknell University, serving from 2004 until 2010. From 1998 through 2004, he served as President of Washington & Jefferson College. He is a nationally recognized expert in higher education, especially on private higher education...
. Like its sister building, The Burnett Center
The Burnett Center
The Howard J. Burnett Center, also known as The Burnett Center, is an academic building on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. This building, named after former President Howard J. Burnett, was completed in 2001 at a cost of $12.8 million...
, the architectural plans for the Technology Center were designed by MacLachlan Cornelius & Filoni and the general contracting services were performed by The Landau Building Company.
In 2003, the building was awarded the IMI Golen Award and was a finalist for the Master Builders’ Association's Excellence in Craftsmanship Award. Construction on the building was completed in fall 2003.