Historic building houses high-tech facilities

A major upgrade of computer facilities at the historic Government Buildings, home of Victoria University’s Law School and Law Library, has just been completed.

Professor Tony Angelo says the upgrade means Victoria’s students have unrivalled computer access.

“We’ve gone from having one of the worst computer facilities of any New Zealand law school to having the best,” he says.

Forty-five brand-new PCs, three printers and 24 additional laptop ports are now available for student use in the law library.

The computers are split into three suites, two for study purposes and one for teaching and study. Students will have access to law library databases, email, the internet and Microsoft Office.

The teaching suite includes a state-of-the-art data projector. “It’s important we take advantage of new technologies that can make learning more exciting and enhance our ability to teach effectively,” Professor Angelo says.

The building’s historic status meant working closely with the Department of Conservation throughout the project.

“Everything down to the colour of the paint has been carefully worked out to ensure the building’s character and beauty is preserved,” Professor Angelo says.

The upgrade enables better integration with computer systems at the university’s Kelburn campus, and will mean improved IT support for law students. Multiple student access to Lexis, one of the leading American and Commonwealth Law Databases, is also now possible.

The project, which also involved major changes to the way data accesses and exits the building, cost over $200,000.

Further developments for student computers downtown are planned, with a computer suite to be installed in Rutherford House, the new home of the Faculty of Commerce and Administration, by 2001.

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