Whether to walk to class, check mailboxes, go to the ATM machine, visit either the Quikstop or the bookstore, or to become part of a student organization, the Carl Hansen Student Center affects every student activity here on campus. However, with an increasingly large student body, this hangout/meeting area is getting more cramped and more chaotic.
“It [stinks]. There’s no place to meet, and I end up having meetings in the game room where people are playing loud music and being obnoxious,” said Lauren O’Leary, editor-in-chief of The Summit Yearbook. “There’s nowhere else to go. It’s pathetic!”
Many other students, particularly involved with on-campus organizations, share O’Leary’s dissatisfaction.
“Organizational areas are so cramped. Clubs have to share space, and the offices are like little boxes,” said Kristin Paolella, historian of Alpha Chi Omega.
After hearing complaints such as these, and understanding the immense discontent of the students, the Student Government Association (SGA) created the Student Center Ad-Hoc committee. This group devised three potential plans to renovate the student center in the upcoming years.
The first plan calls for the addition of a new building that would extend into the South parking lot and connect to the original student center. This new building would house the organizational offices and an executive boardroom to hold at least 65 people. And where would all the cars from the parking lot go? They would be in a parking lot underneath the new building.
Alumni Hall would be divided into three levels. The first floor would be refurbished and used for events such as comedians and campus speakers. The second level would serve as a conference center with a balcony extending out and facing the library and the Quad. Lastly, the third floor would become the “Bobcat Lounge,” an activity center held for small stage shows, a snack bar, game room, large screen T.V., and a deck with tables and chairs. It will be a place where both on-campus and off-campus students can relax in between classes and have a good time.
In addition to remodeling Alumni Hall, this plan aims to create a faculty/adjunct faculty lounge, provide more groceries at the Quikstop, and turn the bookstore into the “Sprit Shop,” where students can purchase Q.U. gear, greeting cards, and music. The bookstore would be moved to where the current game room is, and it would be used exclusively to buy and sell books.
“There’s a lot of things that students are unable to purchase because it’s not on the floors because we need the room for the books and the students,” said Doris Roman, a sales associate at the bookstore. “We need more room. The school is getting larger and we are getting smaller.”
Two other proposals are possibilities as well. The first is to add a third level onto the student center and use that floor for additional offices, the “Spirit Shop,” and student and faculty lounges. The second is to extend the student center out onto the grassy area next to the cafeteria and utilize this building for office space, meeting areas, etc.
The Ad-Hoc committee will be presenting these proposals to the dministration before the end of this year. A date for the meeting is waiting to be approved. The committee consists of Vice President of the senior class Jon Kroll, and SGA class representatives Steven Geller, Kristin Reilly and Alissa Dandrilli.
“These renovations are not things that we will see right away, but we are starting it up for the future,” said Melissa Dudra, SGA president. “We want the student center renovations to be moved up on the list of things to do.”
