The Richard Woodcock Education Center, new home of Western Oregon University’s College of Education, opened this week.

The 58,000-square-foot building is the first multi-story building in Oregon constructed with cross-laminated timber. This is the first time the three divisions of the College of Education will be under one roof, including nearly 100 offices and 23 classrooms.

The center’s classrooms are equipped with two-way broadcasting equipment via a collaboration with the Salem-Keizer School District, so Western students can find out what’s happening in local K-12 classes. The building is located on Western’s campus, 345 Monmouth Ave. N. in Monmouth.

A ribbon-cutting event was held Friday to commemorate the opening of the building.

Among the speakers at the event Friday were Governor Kate Brown; Jim Baumgartner, chair of Western’s Board of Trustees; Alma Pacheco, Western student body president; Mark Girod, dean of the College of Education; Richard Woodcock, building benefactor; and Rex Fuller, Western president.

Fall term begins Monday at Western Oregon University.

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Story published in The Statesman Journal.
By Natalie Pate

Contact Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745, or follow on Twitter @Nataliempate, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist 

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Miss the event? WOU’s Digital Productions Services office made a video of some highlights.