William S. Chatlos Communications Building
1980
Formerly known as the William F. Chatlos Journalism Building
On February 15, 1980, the College dedicated the William F. Chatlos Journalism Building, designed by Nils Schweizer, to the late founder of the William S. Chatlos Foundation with some of his family in attendance. One year earlier, on March 3, 1979, Honorary Chancellor Walter Cronkite, President Davis, and members of the Board of Trustees had broken ground for the complex. In conjunction with Frank Lloyd Wright's vision for the college, it was not one single structure with classrooms inside, but a set of three connected buildings centered around a courtyard with a live oak tree. One of the structures houses the studio, where students film talk, news, and sports shows. The second features two computer laboratories and a classroom. The third is the main office building and also contains The Southern newspaper lab, a fourth lab, and another classroom. These facilities, some donated by The New York Times Foundation, provide students with opportunities for hands-on learning as well as technology training. Another facility, the Doc Dockery Lab, was given by and named for alumnus C.C. "Doc" Dockery (Class of 1961). During the 2010s, the Chatlos Building was renovated to update equipment.
