The long-awaited Integrated Learning Center opened under the Mall in January, but only after budget cuts delayed its opening and prevented the Media Center ÷ one of the most highly touted portions of the center from opening its doors at all.

The ILC ÷ a $20 million facility dedicated to raising the retention rates of freshmen ÷ became the home for classes and offices this semester.

The opened portions of the center contain four lecture halls, 10 classrooms, advising and office spaces and a 200-computer commons area that is expected to expand.

But the $16.7 million cut from UAās 2002 fiscal year budget prevented part of the Media Center ÷ an area where professors will be able to catalogue classes through high-tech devices ÷ from opening with the rest of the ILC.

This part of the Media Center will be worked on for the next six months, said Chris Johnson, the media center director.

UA president Peter Likins said Monday that there are no plans currently to open the Media Center of the ILC.

The new technology that the Media Center would bring to students is the capability of accessing classroom information from the dorm, home, information commons or anywhere a computer is accessible, Johnson said.

The ILC was brought to campus to help raise retention rates among first-year students by giving them an area dedicated to the needs of freshmen.

ćThe plan was to help the student transition,ä said Lynne Tronsdal, associate dean of the University College. ćThe ILC is meant to integrate the students into the community, technology into the curriculum and the disciplines into the curriculum.ä

The ILC connects to the library through an area known as Information Commons that offers more than 250 computers and access to printers, scanners and Internet to students.

The Information Commons has proven to be in high demand as computers and study rooms have been full each night during the exam period.

Even before finals crunch time arrived, though, the Information Commons was a popular place to study.

ćItās often quite amazing to see students using the (Integrated Learning Center),ä Tronsdal said. ćStudents are already in there working. Thatās what itās all about.ä