While buildings like the Student Union and Capen Hall are generally well-known by the student body, others are known only by the students majoring in the subjects inhabiting those building's classrooms. These mysterious buildings are laced throughout campus, linking the more recognized edifices.
Examples of such unknown buildings are Bonner Hall, Bell Hall, Furnas Hall and Ketter Hall. While UB's engineering majors may spend hours each day roaming the halls of these buildings, many other students do not even know which campus they are on.
"I don't know what Bonner Hall is for. In fact, I am not sure I even know where Bonner Hall is, " said Amy Wong, a sophomore pharmacy major.
These four buildings are associated with the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences and are located on North Campus.
Other majors, too, have buildings associated with their department, leaving those not affiliated in the dark.
South campus is home to the medical and architecture buildings; consequently, students in these areas are privy to the functions of most of the non-dormitory buildings on South Campus while other students may be unaware of the building's purpose.
"Any building on South campus is a mystery to me," said Eric Stratton, a sophomore undecided major. "I've never been in an academic building on South and this is my third semester here."
Abbot Hall, located on South Campus, houses the Health Sciences Library and Art and Photographic services, while Kimball Tower, also on South Campus, contains Nursing and Health Related Professions.
There are some buildings, though, that are a mystery to most students regardless of major and department affiliation.
"The Center for Tomorrow is a total mystery to me," said Jared Mills, a sophomore business management major. "I think the CIA is guarding the Maple (Road) entrance to that building."
The Center for Tomorrow was established in 1982, for the sole purpose of housing board meetings, conferences, leadership programs, executive programs, formal dinners and other such gatherings.
The building is university-owned but is not limited to university use; non-university affiliates can rent areas of the Center for personal gatherings, such as weddings, receptions, and brunches. Catering for these events can also be provided by the Center, upon request.
The Center for Tomorrow can be reserved through The Office of Special Events, located at 352 Fargo Quad. For additional information, visit the Special Events Web site at http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/special/.
Another source of uncertainty among students is the trailer complex on White Road. While some students are still wondering what purpose they serve, others have formed their own opinions about them.
"I think people like to go in there and have sex, because they move," said Witzard Joseph, a sophomore medical technology major.
The five trailers that make up the complex, labeled A through E, are actually the property of the UB's Graduate Department and are used by graduate students.
"The trailers are basically used to hold office hours for TAs for the computer science department," said Purnima Mavinkurve, a graduate student and teaching assistant for operating systems. "It also has computers which the TAs generally use for their own purposes."
The buildings on the outskirts of North Campus' academic complex also tend to be more obscure than those along the direct paths used to navigate the spine. One such building is Crofts Hall.
"Crofts Hall? Is there such a place?" said Tiffanie Thompson, a sophomore majoring in Health and Human services. "Is that like an engineering building or something?"
Like Thompson, many students are unaware of the major role the departments housed in Crofts Hall play in managing the university. Crofts Hall, located on North Campus, is the center for the university's finances, among other things.
"Here, we handle primary business operations such as accounting, budgeting, personnel, pay roll and purchasing," said Micahel LeVine, assistant vice president and controller. "There are also the News Service(s) and Publication, which is the contact point for all news operations, and the Internal Audit Departments within Crofts."
Parker Hall, on South Campus, also incites uncertainty. Like Crofts Hall, this building is located on the outskirts of campus. The rooms in this building are part of both the Department of Architecture and also the Department of Nuclear Medicine.
"Parker Hall is where I had studio last year as a freshman," said Anthony Beebee, a sophomore architecture major. "It is at the far end of South Campus. There are studios on the first floor and classrooms on the second floor. The woodshop for architecture is also located there."
For information on any UB building, visit the building locator at http://wings.buffalo.edu/bldgloc?list. The Web site divides all buildings by campus and offers a map indicating where chosen buildings are located.
