This spring break, while many Emerson students will be enjoying their vacations away from campus, the department of marketing communication will relocate from Walker Building’s eighth and ninth floors to the newly renovated seventh floor, according to Phillip Glenn, interim dean of the school of communication. The department plans to have completed the move by March 9.

Glenn said because Emerson has been short of faculty and academic space in recent years, some administrators who previously occupied the seventh floor were relocated to a leased office space at 99 Summer St. last April. 

“The marketing communication department faculty offices are scattered over the eighth and ninth floors, plus some on the fourth,” said Glenn.  “Since the seventh can accommodate the entire department, it made sense to move marketing communication there.”

According to Glenn, this is a significant project, but he has had experience with moving departments before. 

“I’ve been here 13 years, and this is the third time I’m aware of that an entire department is moving offices,” he said.  

In 2002, the communication and journalism faculty moved to the Walker building from the Back Bay; in 2004 the performing arts faculty moved to the Tufte; and in 2009 the performing arts and writing, literature, and publishing departments both moved to the Paramount Center, said Glenn.  

William Anderson, a marketing communication professor and senior executive-in-residence, has taught at Emerson for 13 years, and said this is his first time moving offices. 

Anderson said he feels positive about the move and about having the entire department on one floor. 

“Having everyone in the same space should give us the advantage of all of us being in it together, and give us a lot of room for spontaneity and collaboration,” Anderson said. 

The seventh floor’s renovations are apparent upon walking into the space. The floor has new carpeting and furniture, and open offices line the front of the building with a view of Boston Common. Natural lighting contributes to the overall decor. 

Many marketing students said they were unaware of their professors’ relocation plans.

Freshman Jill Frank, a marketing communication major, said she didn’t know about the move.

“I didn’t know they were relocating, but I doubt it will make much of a difference as far as my classes go,” Frank said. 

Freshman marketing communication major Annie Bojanowski said having the department’s offices located on the same floor will benefit both faculty and students.

“Having all of the offices together will make the department more united,” Bojanowski said.

Assistant News Editor Christina Bartson contributed to this report.