Wichita State University’s Department of Physical Therapy is heading downtown to settle into the building that houses WSU’s Center for Community Support and Research (CCSR).

The move to the three-story building at 335 N. Main is a positive one for the physical therapy program, the college that oversees it and the university, said Associate Provost Keith Pickus.

Moving downtown frees the program from space constraints in the crowded College of Health Professions, housed in Ahlberg Hall. The college gets about half of the third floor back in space for other uses.

More important, moving the program downtown fills a prominent building leased by the university four years ago for CCSR, which only occupies the first and third floors.

Housing an entire doctoral degree program at Third and Main can only increase that presence, he said, and present new opportunities.

“We’re really excited,” said Camilla Wilson, chair of physical therapy. “It will take awhile to get everything set, but it’s a wonderful opportunity. We’re grateful that we’re being allowed to do this.”

She knows they’ll all miss being on campus, but the American Physical Therapy Association has developed a new brand that reflects the department’s progress and process: “Move Forward: Physical therapy brings motion to life.”

Pickus, who oversees WSU’s satellite campuses, said physical therapy will have the entire second floor for faculty and staff offices, classrooms, labs and meeting areas. Students will complete almost all of their coursework on site, with the exception of gross anatomy and its attendant lab work with cadavers.

Down the road, he said, the popular program will be able to grow and accept more students.

The students are excited, too, Wilson said. Besides gaining space, they are gaining new and renovated treatment tables. That’s the result of about a year’s worth of fundraising through generous alumni of the program, she said. In addition, one of the two new lecture rooms has computer tables and all classrooms have wireless access.

“The upgrade in facilities and equipment makes us more competitive in the education market, too, when students come in to visit,” said Wilson, who also hopes eventually to grow the program to meet growing needs in the community.

But the college and Cohen are deeply involved with leadership training at the Kansas Leadership Center, two blocks from physical therapy’s new home. And its cohabitant, CCSR, has a lot of interest in leadership, Cohen said.

In fact, the college is already using CCSR as facilitation for its reshaping efforts, as administrators look at ways to increase collaboration between the various departments and programs that come under health professions at WSU. 

“We try to work collaboratively in the college,” said Cohen, “and we’re casting off one of our departments. It will be a challenge to maintain that spirit of collaboration.”

The college will have an office within the new space, and Cohen plans to spend one day a week there. Charles Fox, associate dean, will also spend a day a week downtown, as will other faculty as appropriate.

In addition, Cohen said, each month the college will hold one of its weekly executive council meetings downtown, and he will host at least one quarterly advisory council meeting a year downtown.

Two physical therapy faculty will remain on campus – John Carter, who directs the anatomy lab and coursework, and Ken Pitetti, whose research in endurance training and exercise options for people with disabilities tie him to the Heskett Center. 

Deciding how to fill physical therapy’s former space will be part of the college’s reshaping efforts. 

“A lot of this we’ll have to see how we evolve,” said Cohen. “We’ll consider what supports our mission.”