Academic Building Four

The $10 Million, 61,070 square-foot structure sat on the Departmental Dorms site and was the first significant classroom facility built since the Drain Building in 1985. SHSU planned its completion for the summer of 2002 but extended the date because of unforeseen delays with weather and materials [1].

When the building opened, it contained the following [2]:

• The Testing Center, Bowers Honors College, and Scholarship Offices on the first floor

• The Student Advising and Mentoring (SAM) Center, Computer Services, and a 286-seat auditorium on the second floor

• The library science department, psychology and philosophy department office, and classrooms on the third floor

• The history department and philosophy faculty offices are on the fourth floor

In September 2002, SHSU renamed the auditorium for history professor James S. Olson in honor of his three decades of service. The dedication ceremony took place the following February.

The SAM Center moved into the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building in January 2009, and replaced by the Career Service office, itself moving from its location on the north-side of campus. The Department of Foreign Languages moved to the third floor and the Department of History moved into offices on the fourth floor [3].

On December 14, 3013, a single-car accident killed three SHSU students. It damaged the southeast corner of the building along Avenue I. Repair work began the following March and lasted about a month.