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By Nicole Drummer

The Daily Northwestern

After five months of construction, the new McCormick Tribune Center opens for classes today, providing the Medill School of Journalism with state-of-the-art multimedia and broadcast facilities. But Medill Dean Loren Ghiglione said it has been a challenge to finish the building on time.

“We’re still waiting for some equipment and electrical hookups that we would have liked to have had,” he said.

Northwestern News Network has planned its first show for Oct. 7, but whether or not they will be able to broadcast it from the new building in time remains questionable, according to Nicole Lapin, NNN assignment editor.

Lapin remains optimistic about the building’s new broadcast facilities.

“I think it will make the show a lot better technically and artistically, and it will put us head and shoulder above a lot of other universities,” said Lapin, a Medill sophomore. “Even if it isn’t ready, it will only be a couple of weeks.”

Its spacious conference rooms and savvy new computer screens reflect the journalism building’s innovations in technology and classroom structure, while plasma screen monitors in the all-glass lobby display news and information to students and faculty entering the building.

“I think this is a terrific boon for Medill,” Medill Prof. Janice Castro said. “Its facilities are state of the art, and its technology and the kind of teaching skills you find here are something you don’t have in any other journalism school. Students are going to be learning the way it really is in the workplace.”

The sleek building is a stark contrast to Fisk Hall, the building next door that houses Medill classrooms and faculty.

“So far it’s looking fairly modern, and a little sterile,” said Joe DeMartino, a Medill freshman. “But maybe that’s because it hasn’t been used yet.”

The $17.5 million project was largely funded by a significant donation from the McCormick Foundation, as well as by contributions from alumni and friends of Medill. In addition to the funds spent on construction, the building has $2.3 million worth of new equipment, Medill Dean Loren Ghiglione said.

The new building now houses Medill’s integrated marketing communications department, which previously was located three blocks away from the school, on Sheridan Road.

“The building provides facilities in broadcast and online media that we haven’t had before and need,” Ghiglione said.

Medill’s Crain Lecture Series will be moved to the forum room on the first floor of the McCormick Tribune building. Although the new forum seats only 150 — about half the number in room 217 of Fisk Hall where lectures previously had been held — the new auditorium has other advantages, such as heat-wired seats and a satellite uplink.

“The forum on the first floor is a very special room for us,” Ghiglione said. “It’s very state of the art and allows us to broadcast not just on Northwestern’s campus, but all over the world.”

Other features of the four-story building include smart classrooms, executive-style classrooms, and multimedia rooms. Common areas such as the faculty lounge and student lounge will help to diminish a former “sense of isolation,” Ghiglione said.

“The student areas will offer a sense of community that was lacking before,” Lecturer Michele Weldon said.”Instructors will be much more accessible.”

The broadcast and new media faculty moved into the new building, and the magazine department remains in Fisk. Newspaper faculty could choose whether or not to move to the new building, she said.

“I’m thrilled to be here because I was in the basement with the squirrels before,” said Weldon, whose former office was located in Fisk. “It’s an exciting place to have new media and broadcast. The facilities are outstanding and I’m looking forward to giving lectures here.”