By The Editors
Student club tables and shopping kiosks located in the Student Center have been replaced this week by large, unmarked, white walls. These mysterious walls are the foundation for a new Commerce Bank that will open for service this spring. In addition to ATMs currently at the University, students will now have the convenience of fully- assisted banking without ever leaving campus.
This convenience, however, is tainted by the banks out-of-place location in the middle of the dining facility. In the past two years, almost half of the front atrium's dining tables have been replaced by new eateries - The Organic Grill and Mediterranean Grill. Currently, if you attempt to eat at a table in the Student Center during prime lunch and dinner hours, it is usually crowded and cramped, or you are forced to sit in the back dining area at round tables made for a group of 10. Now the University is removing more space for students to congregate and eat.
Catherine Hennessy, vice president for financial affairs, says it is essential for the bank to be located in the Student Center so it is easily accessible to both residential and commuter students. However, many commuter students never even step foot in the Student Center on a daily basis. Most park their cars on the South side of campus, go to class and go home - eating at facilities near their classrooms.
While the Student Center still seems like a logical location aside from the low traffic flow by commuters, the University should have considered how cramming the bank into the atrium would affect the current community atmosphere.
The foundation for the new Commerce Bank is approximately 46 ft. by 36 ft. - a space that could hold approximately 25 additional tables or almost 100 extra seats. It seems like the bank would be much more suitable in the back dining facility, which is currently being underutilized anyway. There are only approximately 20 large round tables in this area, but most of the room is unused, open space. The bank could not only be bigger if built in this area, but would attract more students to use this back dining facility.
Hennessy said that President Stuart Rabinowitz is authorizing money to renovate the Student Center dining facilities and hire a food service consultant to create a more suitable and attractive dinning area. Instead of spending money on such renovations and expert advice, President Rabinowitz and University administrators should consider adding another level to our hub.
This would not only solve any issue regarding a cramped eating area, but would also allow the University to expand the services it offers students. Currently the Student Government Association has a waiting list for clubs that are requesting office space. Instead of cramming different organizations into one office or having them wait until a space opens up, am extension to this activities center would service these students well.
Yes, a bank on campus will be a wonderful asset to the University, but before administrators agreed to this deal with Commerce they should have fully thought out its location. Besides reducing an already tight space, it is not the first thing you want to see when walking into the heart of campus.