BOWIE, Md. — The University of Maryland’s Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Innovation hasn’t held its grand opening yet — but it already has a planned name change.
The $152 million building — expected to fully open later this spring — will now be called The Brendan Iribe Center for Computer Science and Engineering. The Board of Regents approved the change during its meeting at Bowie State University on Friday.
“It has been determined that this change best represents the activities of the schools who will work side-by-side in the new Iribe Center, which is opening this semester,” said Barry Gossett, the board’s vice chair. “The change is favored by the donor, as well as Provost [Mary Ann] Rankin and the deans of the two schools involved.”
[Read more: Some classrooms in UMD’s Iribe Center are open, but most of the building remains closed]
While the building currently hosts some computer science classes, it will feature labs, research centers, a rooftop garden, café, outdoor seating and a 400-seat auditorium when fully open.
Construction began on the project nearly three years ago, and has mostly stayed on schedule. In August 2017, a worker died after he fell down an elevator shaft, prompting state and university investigations.
The project was financed in part by Brendan Iribe, a former student at this university and co-founder of the virtual reality company Oculus VR. Regent Louis Pope said that Iribe favored the name change during a recent meeting.
“He was very encouraging on that point,” Pope said.
[Read more: Purple Line construction continues as UMD postpones new parking garage]
Gossett said he doesn’t expect the name change to have a big impact on the campus.
“I’m sure the center, no matter what the full name is, it will be just referred to as the Iribe Center,” he said.
The building’s grand opening is set for April.
