Page 4
The Behrend Beacon
New student offices, Commons
enovation slated for summer
by Dan Stasiewski
managing editor
Students looking to play pool or pingpong will
have to start searching for somewhere other than
the Back Room starting Monday.
The recreational room is scheduled to close in
order to prepare for summer renovations. The
scheduled improvements will result in an expanded
mailroom and seven additional club and
organization office spaces.
The Back Room, however, isn't the only part of
the Reed Union Building to get a face-lift. The
McGarvey Commons is also scheduled to undergo
renovations.
All equipment from the Back Room will be put
out for open-bid with all funds from the sale going
to supply furniture for the new student offices.
Officials said the cost of the summer renovation
could reach $280,000, more than half of which is
expected to come out of the Student Activity Fee
budget. The college is expected to pick up the rest
of the tab, specifically for the mailroom expansion.
Chris Rizzo, director of Student Activities, said
he expects the Reed Union Building renovations to
- transform student organization life."
According to Rizzo, the design of a new student
office loop, with the mailroom and mailboxes as
the nucleus, creates "a circulation and a flow" that
makes the student organizations more visible.
"The way that the design is set-up, it actually
creates sort of a funnel look so as you're walking
by you can look into the office space," said Rizzo.
"You can see that it is a vibrant active place."
Rizzo is referring to the now nonexistent hallway
that will connect the student organization office
suite B with the vending and computer area on the
other side of the Reed Union Building. The outside
wall of the future offices will not be parallel with
the building's rear wall, allowing students to see
the door and windows of each office without having
to he directly in front of them.
Jennifer Sutter, vice president of SGA and the
chair of the Office Space Advisory Committee, also
made note of the funnel of the new offices, but
wanted to make sure clubs were aware of the
potential for new offices.
Sutter said the Office Space Advisory Committee,
which makes office space allocation
recommendations to Rizzo, sent out a questionnaire
last year asking clubs that didn't have office space
for how they would use it and clubs that did have
space how they are using it.
"It's very beneficial not only to have an office,
but a computer to use, a telephone line to use," said
The questionnaire resulted in only four more
office space requests than the number of spaces
currently available, fewer than the seven that will
he available come next fall. Sutter believes
Students gather
insight from alumni
by Sam Cibula
contributing writer
A common saying in the business
, orld is it's not just what you know,
is not just who you know, but it's both.
he Career Development Center is
iving students the opportunity to learn
ow to make connections with
rofessional contacts and colleagues
hrough networking and to practice their
kills with Penn State alumni.
"Once an individual enters their
-hosen profession, networking will
ikely play an important role. In my
I rofession, for example, networking is
ital to attracting new clients," said
senn State alumna Melissa Hayes
hirey. "I never realized that
etworking would be so prevalent in my
profession, and I wish that I had taken
he opportunity to cultivate my
etworking skills at an earlier age."
The event will be a two-part series
here you are required to go to the first
- vent in order to attend the second
- vent. The first event will be held April
in Reed 114 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The
nteractive training session will focus
n teaching students proper skills
eeded in order to network. How to
nter conversations, how to prepare for
networking event and how to exit
onversations will be some of the topic
reas covered.
Over the summer, the back half of Reed Union Building will be renovated to accommodate seven new student offices, as well as a
renovation of the mailroom area. Pictured above are the plans for the building upon completion of the project, set for August.
organizations that didn't make a request didn't know
about the upcoming renovations.
Despite the additional office spaces, clubs and
organizations still have the potential to be turned
down for an office space request.
"I think that there are some clubs that can operate
completely fine without an office, - said Sutter.
Both Rizzo and Sutter still encourage clubs to
apply for office space. The Office of Student
Activities will be sending each student club and
organization an office space application in the next
two weeks. Complete applications can be returned
to the Office of Student Activities at a date that is
still to be determined.
In addition to creating new office space, the
McGarvey Commons will also see significant
improvements including new carpeting, a
permanent stage, retractable curtains and improved
acoustics.
Rizzo described the improved Commons as
having the look and feel of "a hotel ballroom."
"We'll be able to keep the beauty of the room in
terms of the arches," said Rizzo. "But (the
The second session will be held Apri
13 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Loga
House. At this event students ca
practice what they learned in sessio
one through a mock networking even
with Penn State alumni. The sessio
will conclude with an open discussio
where alumni can critique student skill.
and can exchange questions an.
answers. Last semester's networkin=
event included alumni in banking, law
information technology an.
manufacturing. These and othe
industries may be represented at thi:
semester's event.
"Penn State Behrend students, b
participating in this practice networkinl
event, will get the opportunity to
practice networking so that they will b;
more comfortable with it in the future,'
said Shirey.
Participating in these two events wil
qualify students to attend the annua
Alumni Business Reception and Dinne
on April 20 at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Robe
Gray, assistant professor o
engineering, will be speaking at the
event on Future Navigation and
Wireless Technology.
Students must sign up prior to the
events. To sign up or to receive furthe
information please contact the Caree,
Development Center at 898-6164 oi
stop in their office on the first row o
the Reed Union Building.
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renovation) should resolve all of the sound issues
that we've had in the room before."
With major technical and aesthetic
improvements, Rizzo expects more student clubs
and organizations to utilize the facility. He expects
more speakers, concerts and possibly even club
conferences.
The Commons has, in the past, also been used
for large parties and dances, and Rizzo said he is
trying to obtain funding for a portable dance floor.
The summer renovation will be the second major
improvement to the Reed Union Building in the past
decade. In 1994, the former library area was
converted into what is now known as the McGarvey
Commons.
The project, which is currently in the pre-bid
phase, is expected to begin major construction the
week after finals.
Between six and eight potential contractors were
touring the Reed Union Building with Lucien
Lawson, Physical Plant manager, on Wednesday.
Representatives from Sesler Inc., an Erie-based
company, said they had worked with colleges before
Justin Curry & Angela Szesciorka
news editors
and called the May to August construction schedule
"ambitious."
Bids are due April 6. and that is when Behrend
officials will know exactly how much of the Student
Activity Fee and other college funds will be needed
to complete the project.
Ken Miller, director of Student Affairs and co
chair of the SAF Committee, said that last year's
SAF Committee approved the project funding.
Approximately $50,000 will be set aside from
the SAF budget each year for three years, starting
with last year's budget, in order to pay for the
improvements to club space.
No SAF money will be used for the mailroom
improvements, as Penn State University's SAF
Handbook only allows for renovation to student life
space.
But Miller makes the necessity to use SAF funds
for the project quite clear.
When asked if the project would have happened
without tapping into SAF funds, Miller responded
with a quick and simple "no."