The Student Success Center is moving on up to 9th Street Hall.

Construction on the proposed 5,000 square foot facility at the south end of 9th Street Hall is scheduled to start in March, said Jeff Cross, associate vice president for academic affairs.

Construction bids for the project have been advertised, and Eastern will be receiving bids in mid-February, said Steve Shrake, associate director of design and construction. Construction is scheduled to conclude in December 2008, with the new center slated to open for the beginning of the 2009 spring semester.

The center is now housed in two locations: 9th Street Hall and McAfee Gym.

The center’s purpose is to improve at-risk students academically after they have been admitted, Cross said.

Students can receive help in their studies from an array of activities from the Success Center.

“The Academic Success Center has been my main source of help throughout my first two years here at Eastern,” said Jeff Gross, sophomore special education major.

Two grants from the United States Department of Education will fund the project. One will help fund $1.85 million of the upgrade.

“There will be three classrooms, a conference room, staff offices and reception area,” Shrake said. “There will also be an elevator to access the other floors in the building.”

The center offers various types of help including one-on-one consultations, workshop presentations, classroom instruction, tutoring schedule and reinstated student support.

The Building Outreach and Opportunity for Student in Transition program is another supportive service the center offers.

“It’s a special admission program for students who don’t meet the admission criteria at Eastern, but have potential to be great students,” said Cindy Boyer, assistant director for the academic success center.

Ashley Mefford can be reached at 581-7942 or at almefford@eiu.edu.