Benton Hall 2.43

Benton Hall, built in 1907~1908 as an administration building, dedicated in 1909, was used as such until the new Administration Building was completed in 1956. It housed the music department, and the auditorium seating 1200 was used for small group meetings as it can accommodate only a fraction of the present enrollment, and total Miami meeting. Currently, Hall Auditorium houses the Performing Arts Series Office and the Philosophy Department.HistoryIn 1969 a building designed primarily for use by the Department of Psychology was given the name Benton Hall and the older structure renamed Hall Auditorium, after Miami’s fifth president, John W. Hall. For many years, the old Benton Hall served not only the auditorium, but also the University administrative offices. The president, dean, and business manager had offices on the second floor; the registrar and Miami Student newspaper had offices on the ground floor. Ipon completion of the new Administration Building (Roudebush Hall) in 1956, the old Benton Hall became the headquarters for the Music Department. In its early years of use, the building was known simply as the “Administration Building” or as the “Auditorium”.Design and constructionThe new Benton Hall on the northeast corner of High Street and Tallawanda Avenue was to provide facilities for the Department of Psychology. It includes 2 lecture halls, 3 classrooms, 5 instructional laboratories, a library, 114 other teaching and research facilities, 19 supporting rooms and shops, and 33 offices. Benton Hall now houses the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Department of Computer Science and Systems Analysis. The School of Engineering and Applied Science was created in 1959 to provide professionally oriented programs within Miami's liberal arts tradition. The School currently has approximately two thousand majors in computing, engineering, and nursing on three campuses: Oxford, Hamilton, and Middletown. The school offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.