Student leaders and University officials held a forum Thursday to spread information about and encourage student participation in the proposed Talley Student Center renovations.
Among those speaking at the presentation were Chancellor Jim Woodward, Student Center President Mary Randall, Director of Dining Services Randy Lait, Student Body President Jim Ceresnak and Student Senate President Kelli Rogers.
Turan Duda, a partner in Duda/Paine Architects, LLC, the firm designing the new student center, also gave a presentation outlining five potential designs for the renovation of Talley and the student bookstore.
“[The student center] is not just a building,” Duda said. “It could become a hearth; it could become a living room. It could become your home.”
Student Senate President Kelli Rogers said one of the important points of the new student center was its importance to current and future students.
“You’re leaving a legacy,” Rogers said. “You can either step up now and fund [the new student center], or you can pass the buck to another student who will have to pay more and not receive something as amazing.”
Woodward also emphasized the importance of the new center.
“This the most important project this campus will consider in the first quarter century,” Woodward said. “[Talley Student Center] is the gathering place. It is the point of destination.”
Ceresnak said the project heralds great things for the University.
“We can change this campus, we can liven this campus, and we can brighten this campus,” Ceresnak said. “We can give this campus the improvement that we’ve needed for years.”
Although the proposed project would not be complete until 2014, Randall said the time for action is now.
“Every year we delay construction it costs $10 million,” Randall said.
After the main presentation, administrators and student officers fielded questions from the attending audience.
In response to a question about why student fees would be increased in a time of economic need, Woodward explained the committee’s reasoning.
“There is no perfect time to start this,” Woodward said, “We’re trying to minimize the incremental impact on students by stepping up the fees.”
