NORMAN – University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren announced at the OU Board of Regents meeting today that The Inasmuch Foundation of Oklahoma City is making a $1.5 million gift in support of the renovation of space in OU’s existing Donald E. Pray Law Library.
The library project will transform 8,000 square feet of the Donald E. Pray Law Library into a new Collaborative Learning Center for cooperative group work using the latest in multimedia technology.
In recognition of that support and in honor of Inasmuch Foundation’s dedication to strengthening educational institutions, President Boren said he would recommend that the OU Board of Regents name the renovated space in honor of the Inasmuch Foundation.
The new collaborative learning center will feature four new multimedia rooms; movable whiteboard desks, stands and walls; dual-monitor stations; cooperative learning spaces for student collaboration; and a “genius station,” staffed by information technology, library and career services professionals.
“This remarkable gift will transform our law library into a unique and special space that will allow our students to work more closely together and to use technology in a way that enhances their understanding of the law and their ability to communicate with others,” OU College of Law Dean Joseph Harroz Jr. said.
Harroz said that law graduates must be prepared to research, annotate, organize and present in the digital medium.
The OU College of Law was first in the nation to launch a collegewide digital initiative, which aims to maximize students’ competitive edge through technology. Each incoming OU law student is provided an iPad at no cost and required to attend extensive training sessions to ensure technological proficiency with the equipment.
“With Inasmuch Foundation’s gift, we are not only the first law school in the nation to have a collegewide digital initiative, but also the first to have such an important space dedicated to giving OU law students an advantage in the digital age,” Harroz said.
Previously, the Inasmuch Foundation had established four multimedia rooms in the law school to foster and record group exercises for moot court and client counseling. These conference room spaces feature flat-screen monitors, cameras and video conferencing.
“We’re very excited to continue partnering with the OU College of Law as it prepares future attorneys to work in the digital age,” Inasmuch Foundation board chairman William J. Ross said.
In addition to OU College of Law, the Inasmuch Foundation’s recent contributions to OU include a $500,000 lead gift in support of the Scholars Walk.