By George Foulsham

The campus’s new education, social sciences, and media studies buildings opened in September. A bell hangs in the northeast tower of the new Education Building.

The campus's new education, social sciences, media studies complex houses various departments in the College of Letters And Science.

The newest addition to UCSB is an impressive three-building complex that adds 209,750 square feet of high-tech classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, and much more to the west side of the campus.

The long-planned complex includes a 96,700-square-foot building that houses various departments of the College of Letters & Science, and is known as the Social Sciences & Media Studies Building. Next door is the 97,300-square-foot Education Building, home of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (GGSE), the Koegel Autism Center, and the Hosford Counseling Clinic. Both buildings were ready for students when the fall quarter began on September 21. The third structure is the 15,570-square-foot Pollock Theater, part of the Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television and New Media.

The construction budget for the complex was $101.85 million. Funding consists of $81.02 million of State General Obligation Bonds approved by voters spread over three separate bonds in 2002, 2004, and 2006. The remainder of the funds, $20.82 million, came from gifts to the university.

“We greatly appreciate the support of California voters who approved the educational bond initiatives that included this project and so many others across the state,” said Chancellor Henry T. Yang. “Our campus has looked forward to the addition of this complex for a very long time — the instructional and office space that it will provide are critically needed. I also especially want to thank the visionary and generous donors who provided private funds to add important and valuable elements to this complex, including expanded and enhanced facilities for our Gevirtz Graduate School of Education and its world-renowned Koegel Autism Center, and the Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television and New Media with the Pollock Theater, Michael Douglas Lobby, Annenberg Conference Room, and Frank Screening Room.”

The Social Sciences & Media Studies and Education buildings are “fraternal twins,” according to Marc Fisher, senior associate vice chancellor, administrative services, and the official who oversees design and construction on campus. In many ways, the two buildings mirror each other. Both are four stories, with rooms that open to the outside on the first and fourth floors, while the second- and third-floor rooms open to inside hallways. Both buildings have outdoor terraces on the fourth floor.

Some highlights of the new complex:

Gevirtz Graduate School of Education: Marilyn Gevirtz, who with her late husband, Don Gevirtz, donated $10 million in 2000 to support the Graduate School of Education, played a key role in the concept and design of the new building. The lobby and tower on the northeast corner of the building are named for her daughter, and her husband’s journal is encased in concrete beneath the lobby staircase. Also, the tower features a large bell selected by Gevirtz.

Koegel Autism Center: The new facilities double the center’s previous clinical space and include additional treatment facilities, a children’s play area, a special entrance, and a garden. Donors Brian and Patricia Kelly played a big role in enabling the center to expand beyond the space originally planned for it in the new complex.

Social Sciences & Media Studies Building: This building, part of the College of Letters and Science, is the new home to the Departments of Communication, Film & Media Studies, Global & International Studies, and Sociology, and two leading research centers — the Center for Information Technology and Society, and the Social Science Survey Center. The fourth-floor centerpiece is the Annenberg Conference Room, named for Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation, supporters of the Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television, and New Media. Students will benefit from the building’s new multimedia and general purpose computer labs.

The Pollock Theater: This 298-seat film theater was named for donors Joseph and Helene Pollock and the Pollock Family. It will feature the Michael Douglas Lobby, named for the Academy Award-winning actor and UCSB alumnus who is a strong supporter of the arts at UCSB. There’s also a standalone soundstage located adjacent to the Pollock Theater.