Expanded Story: Student Success Building Opens

The Student Success Building (SSB) became the first University-owned building on the Auraria Campus. The 145,000-square-foot structure was constructed on the north end of campus, east of 7^th Street, along Auraria Parkway, in what is deemed the MSU Denver Neighborhood.

The SSB was paid for entirely by MSU Denver student fees, which the students themselves voted to assess. It was intended to be a one-stop shop for enrollment, registration, financial aid and other student services, making it convenient for students to navigate the enrollment process. In addition, many administrative offices were relocated to the SSB, including that of the president, the provost and the University’s entire leadership team.

The building also became the home of the Center for Advanced Visualization and Experiential Analysis (CAVEA), which combined a theater space with advanced technology, allowing users to visualize decision scenarios and data using computer modeling. MSU Denver students learned to run the technology behind CAVEA through courses and internships, and faculty members used it to make their classes more stimulating as well as to pursue innovative research. CAVEA also was intended as a resource for the external community.

As part of the agreement with students, the SSB was designed to be Gold LEED Certified, which means it met standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council regarding energy usage and other sustainable processes and materials.