Students will have the chance to vote on the Fall 2009 Referenda on Monday. One referendum that will be featured on the ballot is for the appropriation of funds to renovate Talley Student Center and the Atrium Food Court. For that reason, Technician has create a student guide with all of the essential information for students to make an informed decision when i comes time to cast their votes.
Talley Center
For more than 37 years, students have found refuge at Talley Student Center. It’s been a place to gather, a place to eat, a place to wait for buses, but mostly a place to which students could call home. With renovation plans, it could be much more.
The new student center food services would replace all of the existing food services with new concepts designed to supplement other offerings on campus, as well as what students are looking for. In addition, increased seating would control crowds.
Catering to commuter students and residents, a new center will offer more places to gather as plans include more attractive and comfortable lounge spaces. Wi-Fi access and plentiful outlets will make these spaces convenient and functional for both groups and individuals.
Retail spaces will be provided to offer students services that are usually not available on campus. Such services include a staffed copy center, shipping and packaging center, and bank.
Featuring a new ballroom that is double the size of the original, the room in the new center will have the ability to be divided into separate sections, which will make it possible to accommodate multiple groups at once. The ballroom will be equipped with A/V technology, allowing presentations to groups of up to 1,000 people possible.
In addition to expanded apparel offerings, a new bookstore will feature a coffee shop and light dining area — kind of reminiscent of a Barnes & Noble.
As the new Talley will double the amount of meeting space that is currently available, students and organizations will benefit from having more areas to house operations and meetings on campus.
The Atrium
Perhaps the most popular eating destination on campus, the Atrium Food Court was last renovated in 1985, when the student population was approximately 24,000. With plans for renovation, students could see a range of changes that will begin affecting them in fall 2010.
A renovated Atrium will feature an improved traffic flow, which will allow quicker service for students.
The layout of the renovated Atrium will provide students with a more open, comfortable, contemporary environment that is more inviting.
Hoping to better serve the large number of students that eat at the Atrium each day, plans would offer increased seating options.
The Atrium will still feature Chick-fil-A, in addition to a host of other food options such as a new cast of fresh and healthy concepts including Asian foods, fresh salads and wraps, sushi, and a grab-and-go display area with ready to eat items. The Atrium will also feature a new and improved pizza shop.
The North Campus Bookstore will move to a more prominent location near the entrance, providing students with better access.
In addition to these renovations, University Dining hopes to extend the hours of operation for the Atrium, providing students with more late-night options.
Information courtesy of Rally4Talley Campaign
