Construction is underway in the Danforth University Center to develop a new office for the vice chancellor for students, Lori White, and to create additional study spaces available to students and the Career Center.

The construction, which began on Nov. 16, will involve rearranging parts of the Career Center on the second floor of the DUC. Several Career Center offices will be lost due to the construction.

Changes were proposed when White requested that her office, currently in the Women’s Building, be more accessible to students. She considered the DUC the best place to interact more with the student body.

“I am excited about the opportunity to move to the DUC,” White said, “and hope the move increases my visibility to students.”

White’s move is anticipated to take place in March 2016, the week after spring break. The new suite will also house White’s staff including assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Students & Special Projects Kirsten Smith and associate dean for strategic initiatives James Parker.

To take advantage of the construction, modifications are also being made on the third floor of the DUC. These modifications will add five new study rooms that will be used by the Career Center for interviewing sessions as well as students to reserve for studying.

Leslie Heusted, director of the Danforth University Center, said these additions will be beneficial for students because current meeting spaces are heavily used for studying.

These study rooms will be accessible to students starting Jan. 15—four days before the start of the spring semester—when construction in the third floor is scheduled to conclude.

“I think that it’s a good opportunity to use some spaces in the Danforth University Center for better use and use that benefits the campus and community in general,” Heusted said.

The Career Center will also be undergoing office rearrangement as part of the construction. Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of the Career Center Mark Smith said he is excited about these changes.

Smith said he believes the rearrangement will not remove any of the Career Center’s current capabilities and hopes that it will help them offer new services.

Although five Career Center offices will be lost as part of the construction, new offices will be built from unutilized areas on the second floor.

“I don’t think students will notice any difference in their use of the Career Center,” Smith said.

“I think students are going to enjoy having White and her colleagues here in the DUC, and I think those study rooms will be a total bonus for students.”