Movers and construction workers greeted those who headed to the commuter lounge in 222 Student Union before spring break. The incident was a result of the decision to eliminate the second of three student lounges in the Union in order to expand office space.
In 2005, a commuter lounge was replaced by the Intercultural Diversity Center.
While officials promise that the new facilities will provide quality services to the UB community, several students are voicing increasing concerns over the loss of on-campus locations to gather and socialize.
Beginning this fall, the former lounge space will house the Learning Lab for the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement, according to Amy Wilson, director of the Leadership Development Center.
According to David Ballard, associate vice president of Student Life, the location is ideal because it is easily accessible to students and is also connected to what is now the Student Leadership Center.
"Originally, we proposed to rehabilitate this office to include a community engagement program, but then we were given the new portion to create a Learning Lab," Wilson said.
The decision was made by a group including faculty, staff and students according to Ballard.
Wilson said that the Learning Lab will provide a place for workshops, a classroom for leadership courses and a multi-purpose space for students to utilize.
The new center is designed to incorporate and bolster the core focus of UB 2020: "Strategic Strengths, civic engagement and public policy," Ballard said.
"The creation of the Community Engagement Center is part of the UB 2020 plan for an improved undergraduate experience focusing on civic engagement," he said. "The office will provide quality programs, services and volunteer and educational opportunities for all students."
According to Wilson, the center will provide students with a central source for community service information.
"A lot of clubs and organizations offer service opportunities to students, but there has never been a central location for learning about service projects for both groups and individuals," Wilson said. "I think this will really be a benefit for students."
However, some of the commuters who used to go to the lounge between classes feel that the decision is another in a series where university decisions ignore student needs.
"As far as I'm concerned, the Leadership Development Center has as much space as it needs," said Scott Nichol, a junior history major.
Current Student Association President Viqar Hussain believes that there are plenty of other places for office space, including the Ellicott Complex.
"We need to realize that there is nowhere for students to go between classes and most of the students here our commuters," Hussain said. "Those couches may have been dirty but they were utilized. Taking those couches away is a disservice to the students."
Justin Schaber, a computer science graduate student, says that the shrinking lounge area will discourage commuting students from spending extra time on campus.
"Students are significantly less likely to stay on campus now," Schaber said. "It's destroying the sense of community that UB focuses on."
Some commuters mentioned a difficulty that they feel UB is already facing in keeping a sense of a community at a university with such a large commuting population.
Nichol Schaber agrees, explaining that the elimination of the lounge would further alienate those commuting to school.
"We're one step away from having no place to go," he said. "I'll probably just go home when my classes are over now."
At the same time, Wilson believes that the new office will help students connect to the community through service projects.
According to Ballard, the lounge isn't the only site where commuters can spend time in between classes.
"We are encouraging students to utilize the existing public areas in the building including the social hall and behind the SU Theater," he said. "There is plenty of space on campus for students to gather and socialize."
The remaining lounge received a makeover during spring break, and is now newly painted and furnished.
"We appreciate the new furniture. It smells less, but we wish we could've had more warning of this," said Nicholas Orrange, a sophomore history major.
All three commuters said that they were not informed that the lounge was being demolished until they were told to get off the furniture so it could be moved out.
"There was no chance for us to have a say - they just made an executive decision," Schaber said.
Typically, traffic in the lounges has been limited to a small group of 30 to 40 students, Ballard said.
"I believe that the current space, with the utilization of other public spaces on campus provides adequate 'hang out' space for students," he said. "Unfortunately, a few students may have to find a new place to sleep."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
