Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 3, 2025
News Summary
Oregon Tech announced two coordinated campus investments: a new Bachelor of Science in construction management beginning in the fall term and a $35-million, four-story mass-timber residence hall for 517 students. The degree emphasizes applied, hands-on learning with specialization tracks in heavy (horizontal) and general (vertical) construction, courses in estimating, law, scheduling, safety, MEP systems, and internships, and will be led initially by an interim director. The 86,710-square-foot residence hall uses prefabricated CLT panels to reduce waste and embodied carbon, sources local contractors and suppliers, and creates opportunities for students to gain real-world experience tied to campus construction.
Oregon Tech launches new construction degree and builds $35M mass-timber residence hall
Oregon Tech is adding a new bachelor’s degree in construction management and moving ahead with a large mass-timber residence hall on its Klamath Falls campus. The two projects aim to expand student opportunities while responding to industry demand for trained construction professionals and lower-carbon building solutions.
Top lines
Oregon Tech will offer a new construction management program beginning fall 2025.
The new program is a Bachelor of Science in construction management.
Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Ore., announced construction of a new $35-million mass timber residence hall.
Program details and purpose
The construction management curriculum was created with input from industry and community. The construction management program was developed in collaboration with the Beavers Charitable Trust, construction companies, donors, and community partners. Program planners say the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to addressing growing workforce needs in Oregon and beyond.
The program will prepare students with both field-level and office-based skills so graduates can manage complex projects, coordinate teams, and support local economies. The program will offer two specialized options: Heavy construction (horizontal) and General construction (vertical).
The Heavy construction (horizontal) option is focused on infrastructure such as highways, bridges, and utilities. The General construction (vertical) option is focused on buildings, facilities, and large-scale commercial and residential projects.
Course work and hands-on experiences are central to the degree. Courses and requirements include (but are not limited to): construction cost estimating and control; construction law; construction project scheduling; construction safety; equipment, methods and materials; internships; mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; a senior project; structural analysis and design; and sustainable construction. Emphasis is on applied learning and internships to connect students with employers.
Leadership for the initial phase has been named. Oregon Tech announced that Professor Jared Emard will serve as the interim program director for the new construction management program. The program also links to existing engineering, technology, and management departments to provide cross-disciplinary training.
Residence hall: mass timber, capacity and timeline
The campus housing project is designed to add capacity and to demonstrate low-carbon construction methods. The new residence hall will be four stories tall. The residence hall will have room for 517 students (capacity given). The residence hall will cover 86,710 square feet (specific figure given).
Budgeted at $35 million, the building is set to use engineered wood panels and prefabrication. The project will use prefabricated CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels; the release said using prefabricated CLT panels reduces labor, material waste, and the building’s carbon footprint while creating a high-quality, safe living environment for students. The facility was designed to showcase its mass timber construction and to create a warm, long-lasting space for student life. The facility was designed to showcase its mass timber construction. The mass timber design was described as a deliberate move toward reducing the building’s carbon footprint.
Construction is underway with a stated completion target. Construction of the residence hall has an estimated completion date of December 2025. The school notes the project received public backing. The project received support from the Oregon Legislature and the Office of the Governor.
Local firms and workforce participation are part of the plan. Oregon Tech is partnering with Bogatay Construction, Inc., of Klamath Falls for the residence hall construction. The news release reported that 89% of the project’s work is coming from firms within a 100-mile radius of campus.
Why it matters
The degree and the residence hall together aim to strengthen ties between academic training and regional construction needs, give students hands-on learning opportunities, and showcase lower-carbon building methods with mass timber and prefabrication. For people seeking program details and admissions information, For more information about Oregon Tech’s construction management program, the provided link is: www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/construction-management.
Related industry context
Recent construction headlines include renovation and acquisition activity elsewhere in the sector, signaling continuing change across public and private building work. These items include large renovation projects, corporate acquisitions of specialty manufacturers, and campus lab upgrades at other institutions. Shifts in public project pipelines have affected regional construction demand in recent years.
FAQ
Q: When will the construction management program begin?
A: Oregon Tech will offer a new construction management program beginning fall 2025.
Q: What degree will the program grant?
A: The new program is a Bachelor of Science in construction management.
Q: Who helped develop the program?
A: The construction management program was developed in collaboration with the Beavers Charitable Trust, construction companies, donors, and community partners.
Q: What specialization options are available?
A: The program will offer two specialized options: Heavy construction (horizontal) and General construction (vertical).
Q: What does the Heavy construction option focus on?
A: The Heavy construction (horizontal) option is focused on infrastructure such as highways, bridges, and utilities.
Q: What does the General construction option focus on?
A: The General construction (vertical) option is focused on buildings, facilities, and large-scale commercial and residential projects.
Q: What courses and requirements are included?
A: Courses and requirements include (but are not limited to): construction cost estimating and control; construction law; construction project scheduling; construction safety; equipment, methods and materials; internships; mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; a senior project; structural analysis and design; and sustainable construction.
Q: Who will lead the new program initially?
A: Oregon Tech announced that Professor Jared Emard will serve as the interim program director for the new construction management program.
Q: What is being built on the Klamath Falls campus?
A: Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Ore., announced construction of a new $35-million mass timber residence hall.
Q: How large and how many students will the residence hall serve?
A: The new residence hall will be four stories tall. The residence hall will have room for 517 students (capacity given). The residence hall will cover 86,710 square feet (specific figure given).
Q: When is the residence hall expected to be finished?
A: Construction of the residence hall has an estimated completion date of December 2025.
Q: What construction methods will the residence hall use?
A: The facility was designed to showcase its mass timber construction. The mass timber design was described as a deliberate move toward reducing the building’s carbon footprint. The project will use prefabricated CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels; the release said using prefabricated CLT panels reduces labor, material waste, and the building’s carbon footprint while creating a high-quality, safe living environment for students.
Q: Who is building the residence hall and who supported it?
A: Oregon Tech is partnering with Bogatay Construction, Inc., of Klamath Falls for the residence hall construction. The project received support from the Oregon Legislature and the Office of the Governor. The news release reported that 89% of the project’s work is coming from firms within a 100-mile radius of campus.
Q: Where can I get more information about the program?
A: For more information about Oregon Tech’s construction management program, the provided link is: www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/construction-management.
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Key features at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Program start | Fall 2025 |
| Degree | Bachelor of Science in construction management |
| Specializations | Heavy construction (horizontal); General construction (vertical) |
| Representative courses | Estimating, construction law, scheduling, safety, equipment & materials, MEP systems, structural analysis, sustainable construction, internships, senior project |
| Interim director | Professor Jared Emard |
| Residence hall cost | $35 million |
| Residence hall size | 86,710 square feet |
| Residence hall capacity | 517 students |
| Stories | Four |
| Construction method | Mass timber with prefabricated CLT panels and panelized wood frame walls |
| Estimated completion | December 2025 |
| Construction partner | Bogatay Construction, Inc., of Klamath Falls |
| Local sourcing | 89% of work coming from firms within a 100-mile radius of campus |
| More info | www.oit.edu/academics/degrees/construction-management |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Herald and News: Oregon Tech launches new construction management program
- Wikipedia: Construction management
- Spaces4Learning: Oregon Tech mass-timber residence hall
- Google Search: Oregon Tech mass timber residence hall
- KOBI5: Oregon Tech’s new $35-million mass-timber residence hall
- Google Scholar: mass timber cross-laminated timber student housing
- OregonLive: Oregon Tech hubs left out of federal funding blitz
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Oregon Institute of Technology
- OregonLive: Oregon construction jobs slip as homebuilding slides
- Google News: Oregon construction jobs 2025
Author: Construction TX News
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