ODU Development

[rusthebuss]

Feb. start date for ODU Hotel

[odumonarch]

Feb. start date for ODU Hotel

Happy to hear about it, but the string with the new hotel planned is, the new parking garage that connects to the hotel - 1st floor, is reserved for hotel people, with the 2nd to 5th for ODU students, faculty and staff.

Interesting about the new garage under construction is, from my views of walking around it for several months, is that it starts at the east side to build retail on the first floor, and then build up to fifth floor and then go to west side and then when they're done, build a hotel.

But on the other hand, ODU is probably going in other discussions about building a second hotel, this time, just south across the Ted Center, but that is probably a year away because of research park additions and stuff.

ODU is currently building a Taco Bell on 41st St. and Hampton Blvd. - diagonally from McDonald's. Within the next months, a Zero's sub shop, Five Guys burgers and other stores will be coming to University Village.

ODU will start building the research park when spring semester begins (next week).

[odumonarch]

More news:

- ODU housing complex on the old parking lot, the first building has the foundation set.

- Parking garage on 46th St. is about 40% complete. It might not be finished until June 2006 at the earliest.

- 46th Street is now open, Technology Building renovations are not complete yet (or near completion).

- Taco Bell is now open on 41st St. Its interior has very much of a college atmosphere feel, I went there for lunch today between classes.

- More news to come perhaps February.

[rusthebuss]

Thank you sir! I can't wait till I transfer from TCC to over there.

I'm hoping that ODU becomes a good size University. I hope that it doubles during my life time.

ODU is key to the success of this region!

[gosscj]

Can somebody spell out for me the merits of ODU? I'm in the process of looking for graduate schools to apply to for the fall and I've really not paid much attention to the school (mostly, I think, because I never found it a very attractive place with all those parking lots and 1980s architecture). I do LOVE the city of Norfolk, though, and even though I'm mostly looking at schools in the New Englad area, I could possibly be convinced to stay. Either way, I plan to move back at some point. I want to study early American history, by the way. Thanks for the information.

(Oooh, and could you also dispell my notion of ODU as an ugly school? Tell me where to go to see the school's best side.. I feel a little funny asking that because I spent the first 8 or so years of my life on Magnoia Ave. not 5 blocks away!)

[Padman]

Can somebody spell out for me the merits of ODU? I'm in the process of looking for graduate schools to apply to for the fall and I've really not paid much attention to the school (mostly, I think, because I never found it a very attractive place with all those parking lots and 1980s architecture). I do LOVE the city of Norfolk, though, and even though I'm mostly looking at schools in the New Englad area, I could possibly be convinced to stay. Either way, I plan to move back at some point. I want to study early American history, by the way. Thanks for the information.

(Oooh, and could you also dispell my notion of ODU as an ugly school? Tell me where to go to see the school's best side.. I feel a little funny asking that because I spent the first 8 or so years of my life on Magnoia Ave. not 5 blocks away!)

Magnolia Avenue still looks very nice, but was hit very hard in a couple of isolated spots by hurricane Isabel a couple of years ago. ODU has a great deal of new construction, and a lovely new arena on Hampton Blvd. with a glass, curvilinear facade. You've got to see it. Some of the recent classroom buildings are a big improvement over what they had in the 1980s. Some of our other posters can give you better info than I about the merits of the school. I do know that it has improved dramatically over time, but that many professor salaries just don't compete with the first tier schools in other parts of the country. They are placing more emphasis on research, which bodes well for graduate students, and I have heard they have hired some well paid "ringers" in some departments to that end. If you are looking for a solid academic experience, ODU might be the ticket for you. It's much harder to get in at the undergraduate level than it used to be.

[hoobo]

I know vdogg won't like this too much since it's off topic.

Anyway, William & Mary and UVa have 2 of top early American history programs in the country with William & Mary better in Colonial history and UVa better in 19th century history. Don't know what ODU's history department is like. All I know is that they have one of the foremost experts in Coastal Engineering.

[lammius]

I know vdogg won't like this too much since it's off topic.

Anyway, William & Mary and UVa have 2 of top early American history programs in the country with William & Mary better in Colonial history and UVa better in 19th century history. Don't know what ODU's history department is like. All I know is that they have one of the foremost experts in Coastal Engineering.

As a former history major concentrating in early American history (at JMU), I'd agree with the above comment. The places in VA I'd recommend are W&M and UVA. ODU has neither a recognized program (if they have one at all) nor much if any special collections.

gosscj, I'm interested to know which schools in New England you're considering. Rather than continue off topic, you could send me a message.

[vdogg]

I love this new smiley.

[gosscj]

Thanks for the replies (and sorry to keep going on with this) but it seems I'm not able to send messages directly to users... maybe I don't have enough posts? Anyhow, is there any email address or AIM screen name that I can reach you at, Lammius? Feel free to send them to me at [email protected] if you're not comfortable posting them here. Thanks again!

[vdogg]

Thanks for the replies (and sorry to keep going on with this) but it seems I'm not able to send messages directly to users... maybe I don't have enough posts? Anyhow, is there any email address or AIM screen name that I can reach you at, Lammius? Feel free to send them to me at [email protected] if you're not comfortable posting them here. Thanks again!

You can't pm until you have 10 posts.

[rusthebuss]

You can't pm until you have 10 posts.

[lammius]

Thanks for the replies (and sorry to keep going on with this) but it seems I'm not able to send messages directly to users... maybe I don't have enough posts? Anyhow, is there any email address or AIM screen name that I can reach you at, Lammius? Feel free to send them to me at [email protected] if you're not comfortable posting them here. Thanks again!

I'll shoot you an email later today. I cannot access my personal email from work. I work for Nazis.

LOL

[odumonarch]

I know vdogg won't like this too much since it's off topic.

Anyway, William & Mary and UVa have 2 of top early American history programs in the country with William & Mary better in Colonial history and UVa better in 19th century history. Don't know what ODU's history department is like. All I know is that they have one of the foremost experts in Coastal Engineering.

Yeah, I know about Coastal Engineering. David Basco, the professor for civil engineering at Old Dominion, is an expert on it, and teaches four courses a semester (or a year) on that field.

On other topics, if people have not visited Old Dominion since the 1980s, there were a lot of new development going on @ the school since James V. Koch took over as their president in 1991:

- Built Constant Hall, a new one, opened 2002, houses their business department.

- Built the new Engineering and Computational Services building, 2004, the first "green" building under environmental standards.

- Built University Village apartments and Constant Center (8,668 seats). The fieldhouse that once used to house basketball games before the Ted opened is about to get renovated in the summer of 2006.

- Engineering hall is now 2 old buildings merged into one. The atrium that connects two buildings was built in 1997. Now Old Dominion is going up the university ladder on its engineering department.

- Hughes Hall that once housed ODU's library is now converted into a computer sciences department.

- Perry Library is now expanded, this time to four floors and more space.

- Built 43rd St. garage, opened 2005, that connects with the old garage.

- Technology Building is in its last phase of renovation. Will notify when its completed. Houses their nursing, sports medicine and dental department.

- Soccer stadium has been built, and is in process of adding more offices and lockers.

- Athletics Admin building is in process of getting renovated and expanded.

- More future development going on: Batten Arts and Letters Building is going to be renovated next month, and Oceanography/Physics Building is going to be expanded/renovated on April 2006, and thus there will be a walkway connecting OCNPS building with Mills Godwin (Science building) Hall. Fieldhouse will get renovated and renamed the Physical Activities Building, instead of H/PE Building.

Not sure whether Foreman Field is going to be renovated though, since a lot of people say it is below football standards of today. Might include that in future plans.

[rusthebuss]

I think alot of people underrate ODU. Better watch out cause ODU is on the rise and pushing to be alot better!

Edited January 12, 2006 by rusthebuss

[vdogg]

ODU to expand in Virginia Beach

[odumonarch]

ODU to expand in Virginia Beach

First off, it would be a lot better for ODU.

It allows ODU students to take the classes in Virginia Beach Higher Education Center towards their degree instead of going to the Norfolk main campus. The building will expand as far as I know, and there will be extra spaces removed from parking in Norfolk. ODU's main campus has a problem with parking so far, as they have recently converted two small commuter lots into faculty and staff lots. It also relieves stress on the students.

ODU also has centers in Northern Virginia and the Peninsula. It also has a TeleTechnet program that can allow people to take ODU classes from Navy ships and other places without the need of going to Norfolk. I think ODU is expanding so far and so wide in the past fifteen years that people are starting to take note.

[rusthebuss]

All community colleges outside the area can use the technet. I was at John Tyler and they offered classes there from ODU.

[odumonarch]

All community colleges outside the area can use the technet. I was at John Tyler and they offered classes there from ODU.

Yeah I know. ODU started the program around late 1980s/early 1990s. The problems with technet at startup was that instruction could not be passed on easily to students (voice not working), and how to grasp all students' questions and instructors' questions. Technet has gone on without any problems ever since.

It would be interesting if I took a civil engineering course via technet. Nearly all courses in civil engineering are in the main campus, some TV, some Web classes. The only thing with those electronic classes are they are graduate courses or 400 level courses (senior level).

[hoobo]

Yeah I know. ODU started the program around late 1980s/early 1990s. The problems with technet at startup was that instruction could not be passed on easily to students (voice not working), and how to grasp all students' questions and instructors' questions. Technet has gone on without any problems ever since.

It would be interesting if I took a civil engineering course via technet. Nearly all courses in civil engineering are in the main campus, some TV, some Web classes. The only thing with those electronic classes are they are graduate courses or 400 level courses (senior level).

Don't you worry, TeleTechnet has its hiccups. I get to suffer through them every once in a while while taking those coastal engineering courses. I searched everywhere for online coastal engineering courses since SoCal schools don't really have any coastal courses. I tried Berkeley, Oregon State, Washington, Texas A&M, UDel, Michigan, and Florida until it hit me that Basco is at ODU. Sure enough, ODU has a Coastal Engineering Certificate Program. Ironic that I'm going to my hometown school 3000 miles away. As much as my friend and I knock ODU, it definitely is on the cutting edge in terms of high-quality online education. No real university comes close.

[br0guy]

Yeah I know. ODU started the program around late 1980s/early 1990s. The problems with technet at startup was that instruction could not be passed on easily to students (voice not working), and how to grasp all students' questions and instructors' questions. Technet has gone on without any problems ever since.

I work for ODU's Distance Learning Department (Teletechnet), and trust me... we do have our share of problems... but that comes w/ the territory when your working w/ new technologies. Not only do we do Satellite courses, but we also do classes w/ 2-way connections (via IP, ATM, and ISDN systems), and video streamed live over the web. We also do classes over the weekend for Naval "Ships at Sea." Teletechnet transmits classes to military sites (ex. Fort Eustis, Fort Lee), medical sites (ex. Walter Reed Hospital, Martha Jefferson Hospital), and community colleges in VA, NC, GA, IL, WA, AZ, MD, and the Bahamas. We even broadcast training videos to Corporations.

[rusthebuss]

I work for ODU's Distance Learning Department (Teletechnet), and trust me... we do have our share of problems... but that comes w/ the territory when your working w/ new technologies. Not only do we do Satellite courses, but we also do classes w/ 2-way connections (via IP, ATM, and ISDN systems), and video streamed live over the web. We also do classes over the weekend for Naval "Ships at Sea." Teletechnet transmits classes to military sites (ex. Fort Eustis, Fort Lee), medical sites (ex. Walter Reed Hospital, Martha Jefferson Hospital), and community colleges in VA, NC, GA, IL, WA, AZ, MD, and the Bahamas. We even broadcast training videos to Corporations.

Thanks for sharing that with us. I just thought that it was some military and va community colleges.

[rusthebuss]

Norfolk, ODU reach agreement on land for football program

[odumonarch]

Norfolk, ODU reach agreement on land for football program

ODU is making slow, but steady progress on landing a football team. Good to hear about the land, but Norfolk needs some property back, but where?

I think ODU football will take off in a year, when funding is completed. But don't expect a coach to be hired until 2007 at the earliest. Some teams usually hire a coach two years before the program starts to get it up and running correctly with some recruits.

Starting fall 2006, ODU is going to charge $1 per credit hour for students to pay for the football program. By 2014-15 academic year, fees are going to rise to $300/year. Good thing I only graduate on May 2007 so I'm leaving the others to foot the bill.

[odumonarch]

Going through the latest news on construction at ODU, the university has plans to construct a Tri-Cities Higher Education Center for residents of Suffolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake, that would be on Hampton Roads Crossing, where they would build the new building in Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center. ODU is going to own both buildings. The Tri-Cities Higher Education Center would provide upper-level undergraduate courses, plus graduate courses for those residents, and the buildings mentioned will open in 2007.