Next fall semester, Curtiss Hall will be the home of the new Global Cafe, which will symbolize the College of Agriculture’s work around the globe.

“We’re renovating a space in the building that has been under-utilized for many years,” said David Acker, associate dean of academic and global programs.

Harl Commons is the name of the new addition, which will be located directly under the auditorium in Curtiss Hall. The space is designed to be a meeting place for students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. 

The construction on Curtiss Hall started nine months ago and will be finished for the fall 2013 semester.

Harl Commons will be accessible through a staircase leading down from the auditorium or from the east side of Curtiss Hall.

Students coming from buildings such as Heady Hall and East Hall will be able to walk straight into the Commons through a door on the ground level.

“It’s designed to be accessible to all people,” Acker said. The addition of a brand new elevator will also make it easier for students to enjoy the new space.

The Global Cafe will also be a part of Harl Commons. The name is significant in that it symbolizes the College of Agriculture’s mission.

Acker said they chose the name because they are active in Uganda. “What we plan to do is connect the Global Cafe to the work we do overseas. We’re working all around the globe because of the problems associated with hunger,” Acker said.

One of the main features of the cafe will be coffee imported from Uganda. The college partnered with farmers in Uganda to sell their coffee beans.

“We do this as a way to support small farmers in Africa and to educate faculty and students about our work in Africa and other countries,” Acker said.

According to Brittney Rutherford, marketing coordinator for ISU Dining, the Global Cafe will also feature pre-packaged and pre-made food.

“It is kind of a smaller footprint than some of our other cafes, and that will determine what we offer,” Rutherford said.

Most of the food will be made in the university’s commissary kitchen and delivered daily to the cafe.

The Global Cafe will take up space in the right side of Harl Commons, where students can use the space as a multi-purpose meeting room.