Ask the Gargoyle

When will the student center be ready? Will it be open to the public?

By Rebecca Shields

The official date of the grand opening has not yet been decided. It is estimated that once a donation has been made for naming rights the ceremony will happen sometime shortly after the students return in the fall.

“The exact date is hard to pin down,” Dean of Student Services Daniel Stewart said. “The last we heard was the middle of June when the furniture will be delivered.”

According to Stewart, students will have much to look forward to when they return. Plans include a main lounge with several couches, chairs and two televisions.

Students can also expect billiard, ping-pong, and foosball tables, as well as a quiet study lounge with couches and chairs.

One of the biggest components is the Gamache Theatre classroom. “There will be seating for approximately 140 with the ability to show movies and have small lectures and performances such as poetry readings and open-mic nights,” Stewart said.

Because tourist traffic has been a concern of students in the past, SGA’s Campus Concerns committee conducted a survey asking how the student body felt about the Student Center being open to the public.

“The survey results indicated the students would not want it open to the community,” Stewart said. “During the school year, the center will be [only] for the students.”

There are already several events scheduled to take place in the new Student Center in the fall, such as ballroom dancing classes and Writers In Residence speakers.