Stakeholders outline plans for student center upgrades
The project should be done by 2011 and cost $63 million.
Oct. 14, 2008
Campus Dining Services Director Julaine Kiehn previews plans for one of several new dining venues to be built in the new student center on Wednesday in Plaza 900. Through focus groups and committees, CDS gathered student opinions on what they would want to have in the new student center.
(Click graphic to enlarge)
Before a new plan was formed for the new student center, MU asked students to grade Brady Commons. They gave it an F.
After numerous student complaints, beginning as early as 1999, a new student center was conceptualized, Student and Auxiliary Services spokeswoman Michelle Froese said.
"We collectively said, 'Can we ignore these comments, or can we do something?'" Student Life director Mark Lucas said.
Students helped administration to brainstorm new ideas for the student center.
Campus Dining Services director Julaine Kiehn, Froese and Lucas said hundreds of students became a part of focus groups and committees that decided they wanted meeting rooms, lounge space, study areas, outdoor seating, better quality and variety in their food and more opportunities for hands-on involvement.
"The goal is to create a purposeful space for students to use to do all of the things they do, whether it be socializing, dining or developing leadership and organizational skills," Froese said.
She said the combined ideas of students and faculty members created a $63 million project that's been broken down into two phases. While Campus Dining Services and Student and Auxiliary Services are paying 50 percent of the bill, the student unions' fee will increase to $35 per semester for all full-time students.
Froese said students voted on this in 2005, and while the administration is working to cut costs, they feel the price is fair. On other campuses, students would pay for the entire renovation. Phase two, which will begin when the phase one building is complete, involves closing down Brady Commons for renovations.
Phase one is due to be completed at the start of the spring 2009 semester. The entire project is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2011.
The final plans for phase two aren't entirely known because of cost factors.
"Before we know what we can build, we must ask if we have enough money to build what we designed," Lucas said. "We probably won't know that until December."
Kiehn spoke of what would be in the new building. The phase-one building will permanently house the new bookstore on the ground level and textbooks in the basement, she said. Temporarily, the ground level will have a dining service with pizza, burgers, chicken and sushi. Periodically, the area will serve carved meats and other specials in order to see student response to the food they plan to sell at future venues.
Kiehn discussed the array of new dining venues to be completed during phase two.
"Students who voted on the project didn't care about national brands in dining," she said. "They requested quality and variety."
While Sunshine Sushi will stay, all other venues will be specific to MU, Kiehn said. They won't, however, be lined up in a string. Instead, they'll be spread out, with plenty of seating areas.
The second floor will be home to student organization offices, including meeting rooms and workrooms.
She said that after the entire project is complete, there will be more space dedicated to dining, lounging and student involvement.
"Space is critical," Froese said. "When the entire building is done, there will be nine meeting rooms."
Students will also find the Shack, which will be a lounge by day and an events stage by night. Like with the historical Shack that burned down in the 1980s, students will be able to pay to carve into it. All money paid will go to a scholarship fund.
Lucas was enthusiastic about a new space planned along with other construction. The Center for Leadership Development will be home to a 300-book leadership library.
"Our No. 1 priority is to promote the student involvement outside of the classroom," Lucas said. "We will have a facility to do that."
He plans on having peer educators who teach others about involvement opportunities and enhancing their own leadership skills.
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