Editorial: Out with the old
Our idea of what a perfect student union would be
April 20, 2016
Filed under Editorials, Opinion
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Be it a break between classes for students or the one place that’s always showcased in tours, the Student Union is the place to go. It is the hub of students, faculty and administration alike. It’s the best place for the daily dose of caffeine and break from work, and to be greeted with the faces and sounds of thousands of people from different departments and walks of university life. In addition to being the social center for the University of Toledo, the Student Union houses student organization offices and administrative offices. Being such an integral part of the university’s social and administrative infrastructure, the building’s organization and aesthetic requirements are sub-par, and do not meet the standard required of such a central university structure. To address this issue, many groups around campus have been discussing the hopes of getting a new student union, and what our perfect UT student union would look like.
Student involvement offices requires visual and physical accessibility. Proper functioning of the different student involvement groups on campus is important, as these groups represent the diversity and cultural enrichment of UT. Their offices are hidden in the narrow corridors in the second floor of the SU, which are accessible only through a dark stairway. Being offices that obviously see a lot of student traffic, it is unacceptable that these offices are so inaccessible and that their personnel have to work from such cooped-up little holes in the wall. Designing a better floor plan so student involvement offices are actually accessible to students is key to our perfect student union. It will not only increase the aesthetic of the building but also serve the purpose of being noticeable enough and within eyesight, as such a traffic-heavy and student-centered office should be.
Improve SU floor plan. Along the same lines, it is important to emphasize the misuse of the space in the SU. The SU holds these huge conference rooms located on the second and third floors, which are once again accessible by only one ramp, and are not within clear sight. The rooms have the capacity for holding conferences for around 300 people, and in the past have been used to hold heavily populated events such as career fairs, research symposiums and new student orientations. However, the organization of the building being as it is, these rooms aren’t in enough view to be used as space for huge social events, and at most times are accessible only through a labyrinth of passages. A better layout of SU definitely needs to be a priority in our new union so that its structures and facilities are fully appreciated and utilized to their full capacity, and no one gets lost while trying to attend a huge conference.
Lounge areas and quality of food options need attention. In addition to improving the visual appeal of the SU, it is important to also have the SU cater to students’ relaxation and comfort. There needs to be more space for lounging and for dining. The seating and lounges at the SU are placed in such a way that people feel like they are sitting on top of each other. Being on Main Campus, SU holds a good percentage of the food options on campus, and it is sad to see what a low variety of food options and low quantity and quality of comfortable seating options are available to enjoy that food. Our perfect student union would include higher quality and more diverse food options, and increase student seating in and around these areas. It would also include more comfortable and easily accessible lounges for students to utilize.
Availability of gender-neutral bathrooms. There is another issue that needs to be addressed in the renovations of the SU, and this is the existence of gender neutral bathrooms. Even a private unisex bathroom, where each stall opens up to a mirror and basin for the individual, makes it more accessible to the existing transgender students as well as making a more space-saving solution. By investing in unisex bathrooms in the SU, UT will consequently be investing in creating a more supportive and inclusive educational community.
SU needs to be reconstructed to have updated interior decoration and better utilization of its existing facilities and services, as well as offer required services. It needs to cater to all students, and make them feel they are a part of an inclusive community, which includes recognizing the needs of the LGBT community as well. The SU needs to be renovated to address both organizational, structural and community-related problems, as well providing a more relaxing and all-encompassing space for the students.
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