Earlier this year I moved to a new office as part of Temple University’s ongoing expansion. The new office is part of the recently built TECH Center. If anyone ever questioned the various awards and recognition that the university has been getting as a result of our various technology initiatives then stepping into the TECH Center would instantly change your mind. The Teaching, Education, Collaboration and Help Center was established as the next social and academic spot on campus and to facilitate this nexus two floors of the building were packed with more technology equipment than any other computer lab in the country. For those who enjoy statistics:
- 75,000 square-foot center
- Open 24 hours a day from Sunday through Friday
- 700 + Windows and Macintosh workstations
- 150 software packages
- Cable television to the desktop
- Music streaming to the desktop
Taking a page from Tom Peters’ Re-Imagine, it seems like Temple University was able to reinvent itself by self-destructing. What? As Tom says, “This is not a time for building defensive castles and moats … and that’s what ‘conglomeration’ amounts to. It is a time for creation.” By merging smart, the university was able to consolidate various resources into one building and end up leading the rest of our competition.
If you have a chance I would highly recommend reading the free chapter that Tom offers on his sitte titled Control Alt Delete: The Destruction Imperative (PDF). It’s a fun read, especially since it also focuses on changing the rules before somebody else does.
Castles and moats are for kings and serfs. Temple U did cross the moat into this new century with the opening of its Tech Center. The reason students come and stay for hours is not just the software packages, or the cable television, or the time convenience, or even the 24 hour Starbucks. But yes, fellow students come and study as well. The social aspect is important since there is plenty of room to spread out and work together. The Tech Center IS the place to be.
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