(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)September 11, 2019

MAHWAH, N.J. — A new era began on the campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey with the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Learning Commons.

The ceremony on September 4, which took place on the launching of the College’s 50th Anniversary year-long celebration, officially opened the construction of the project, which will transform the George T. Potter Library into a 21^st century collaborative space for research, learning and exploration. In 2016, Ramapo received $15 million from the State of New Jersey Higher Education Capital Facilities program to completely renovate the Potter Library and create a new Learning Commons. The ambitious three-year $40 million project will result in a modern educational facility designed to support the intellectual growth of our students and community.

“A campus library is the nerve center of every college. We are creating a space that will serve the needs of our students today and well into the future,” said Ramapo President Peter P. Mercer. “This has been a collaborative effort of the Learning Commons Task Force and our very generous donors who will help make this project come to fruition,” he added, acknowledging among others lead donor Susan A. Vallario, vice chair, Ramapo College Board of Trustees.

William F. Dator, chair of the Ramapo College Board of Trustees, added, “We must have the facilities that match our reputation. The Learning Commons will dramatically change the students’ and faculty’s scholarly pursuits on campus.”

The project will address the infrastructure issues and increase the building’s interior space from 60,000 to 80,000 square feet. The project will include increasing seating capacity by 65 percent, adding 19 new study rooms and flexible-use classroom space, and repurposing and modernizing computer and technology labs. The facility also will house archives, several special collections, and the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

The Learning Commons project will be led by architectural firm of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; Dobco Inc., contractor; and Cambridge Construction Management.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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