The director of the Student Union presented plans to the Student Government Association Monday to evaluate the Student Union after representatives from student organizations requested more work and storage space on campus.Francisco Chacon, director of the Student Union, said the Student Union does not meet the needs of Nicholls students. Chacon said his office would conduct several evaluations to determine which areas should be improved to satisfy students, and students already desire more options and quality from food services, study spaces in a more social environment and basic necessities like more wall outlets to plug in laptops.
A marketing class on campus has begun surveying students about the building and Chacon is organizing focus groups, which will work with professionals to better understand what students want from the Student Union. Chacon said he also plans to have a professional, physical evaluation of the union to determine how well the University is using the building’s space.
Chacon said his office is also looking for space to build a work and storage area for student organizations without offices on campus. “There should be a space for organizations to have a cubicle, a computer, a lockable drawer, a reception desk and maybe a telephone,” Chacon said. “Some just need space to put supplies.”
SGA senators discussed pros and cons of such a space and how it would be regulated. “The design is open,” Chacon said. “First, we need to see if that kind of space is a priority.”
Peter Jenkins, senator at large and vice president of the Gay Straight Alliance, said his request for a student organization work and storage space was due to a lack of storage space for the GSA. “I had to do everything in my room with my laptop,” Jenkins said. “I asked myself, ‘If I’m having these problems, who else is?'”
Jenkins researched locations on campus that could be converted to a space for student organizations and presented the idea of converting the game room in the Student Union to Chacon. “In our opinion, the Union would be a prime spot for such a space,” Jenkins said.
Chacon also said the space should be in the Student Union, and the game room is a potential area that could be converted. “The game room is becoming more obsolete each day,” Chacon said. The University splits half the revenue made in the game room with the distributor of the equipment, but Chacon said the profit is minimal. “It’s not even on my radar screen.”
In addition to the game room, Jenkins also considered La Maison’s club and exercise room and one of the first floor computer labs in Ellender Memorial Library. Jenkins said several student workers in the library told him they have never seen both labs being used simultaneously.
Chacon and Jenkins said they both researched other universities that provide general workspaces for student organizations and found they are beneficial to the universities and their surrounding communities. Jenkins said the student organizations at the universities he researched became stronger, grew in size and were able to get out in their communities, convincing future students to remain in their respective cities.
Chacon said a public workspace for student organizations allows for greater collaboration and communication between organizations and would create a positive energy in the union. “It would make students more excited about joining organizations.”
Jenkins said he is trying to get more SGA senators to assist him in another analysis of potential space to make his findings more official. “We need to prove this is necessary because it’s going to take money,” Jenkins said. “Hopefully, the University thinks this is a worthwhile project.”
Chacon said it is important to remember that his presentation is just the first conversation toward improving the Student Union and that all plans discussed at the SGA meeting are still theoretical.
