Built in 1969, the General Classroom Building is currently known as Howard Phillips Hall and has 35,808 net square feet. With four floors, three are for student use and the remaining floor is for professors’ offices, a statistics lab, a typing room, a shorthand room, a study lounge, and a vending area. However, at the time of completion only two of these floors were open for use and each floor’s use was different. The basement at the time was designed for classrooms, a vending area, and an auditorium to hold 120 students. The first floor was for classrooms and a student lounge. The dean’s office and more classrooms were located on the third floor. And unlike the other floors, the fourth floor held faculty offices and 2 clerical areas.
General Classroom Building’s name was changed to Howard Phillips Hall in a dedication ceremony in December of 1981. Named after an Orlando businessman and entrepreneur, Howard Phillip made large contributions to the university and it was decided to rename the General Classroom Building in his honor. In recent years, Howard Phillips Hall holds more offices and departments than it does classrooms. Notably, First Year Advising and Exploration (FYAE), University Testing Center and Student Academic Resource Center are located in the basement of Howard Phillips Hall. These programs offer valuable resources for students including advising, testing help, and tutoring for classes. FYAE offers programs to first-year students to ensure they are on the right track as they enter college along with their first year in college. Not only are there programs offered to the general first-year students in the Student Union, but FYAE advisors extend their resources and create additional programs and hours to on-campus communities. Similar to FYAE is First Year Experience, which offers social events and activities for first year students. Included in the Office of First Year Experience is the O-Team staff, which provide the UCF tours and lead orientations providing valuable resources for students entering UCF.
The departments of Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology are also located in Howard Phillips Hall. Additionally, more resources for students can be found in the offices of Transfer and Transition Services, Upward Bound, Multicultural Academic & Support Services, Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies, Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Global Perspectives, and UCF Faculty Senate Office.
