The Indiana University Board of Trustees, IU President Michael McRobbie and Indiana University East Chancellor Kathryn Cruz-Uribe hosted a ground breaking ceremony for the Student Activities and Events Center at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11.

The ceremony was held east of Springwood Hall, near the site where IU East will construct the center. The building will be the fifth constructed on the 182-acre campus. Initially, the campus planned to build an extension to Springwood Hall but site evaluations determined a new free-standing building was the best option.

Final plans to construct the Student Activities and Events Center were approved by the IU Board of Trustees approval during its August 8 meeting in Bloomington.

The facility will promote student success through a comprehensive offering of programming in health and wellness, physical education, athletics, student activities and special events. Since 2007, student enrollment at IU East has over doubled to 4,573 in 2014.

The center is scheduled for completion in 2016.