The consolidation will require $3.6 million in combined renovations to Human Ecology and Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture buildings to accommodate the extra offices.

The MSU Board of Trustees gave the go-ahead Friday for the construction plans, which are slated to begin in February.

Fred Poston, vice president for finance and operations, said consolidation of the school will increase efficiency and save money.

“Just think about the fixed cost of doing business,” Poston said. “You need everything from various support personnel, bookkeepers, in addition to copy machines and everything else. If you put all that stuff in one place, you only need one set.”

Because the school is comprised of the construction management, interior design, landscape architecture and urban and regional planning programs, communication between department heads can be difficult, Poston said.

“It’s really hard if you don’t see them frequently,” Poston said. “The ability to interact will create a synergetic effect.”

Tim Mrozowski, a construction management professor, said students will benefit from the consolidation.

“When renovations are complete and all faculty and students are housed in one building, I think students will appreciate having access to the variety of faculty and courses,” Mrozowski said.

Faculty members voted to accept plans for the renovations, said Scott Witter, director of the School of Planning, Design & Construction.

“Everyone’s ready to move,” Witter said. “They’re doing an excellent job by allowing us to move in (by) fall semester.”

Though construction will take place during the spring semester, Witter said classes won’t be interrupted.

“As offices open up, we’ll be moving (the faculty) over to the Human Ecology Building,” Witter said.