Summer 2004
NEWS
College Union, Dining Halls Get New Hip, Cozy Look
When
students return to Geneseo in August, they may not recognize several of
their hangouts on campus.
But it’s virtually guaranteed they’ll like the new look.
The Robert W. MacVittie College Union is undergoing major renovations
this summer to create an open and warm atmosphere for students and to
create a plethora of dining and entertainment options.
"This will be an entire activity center," said Virginia Geer-Mentry,
director of dining services for Campus Auxiliary Services.
"The goal is to try and bring some life into that main floor of the
union," she said.
Under the Sun Bookstore is moving from the lower floor to the middle-floor
lobby where the Corner Pocket was located. Construction crews have created
a large bookstore entrance complete with track lighting. The bookstore
was slated to open by late June.
Also on the middle floor, the Campus Grind will be redecorated into a
cozy Friends-like coffee shop.
"We want it to be hip," Geer-Mentry said.
Three pieces of artwork will be relocated to the coffee shop: illustrations
of Jimi Hendrix, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, created by artist-performer
Denny Dent during a visit to Geneseo in the 1990s, said Chip Matthews,
associate director for the college union and student activities. The coffee
shop will remain the site of open mic nights and concerts, Matthews said.
The Corner Pocket is moving to the middle floor, where the Union Station
Café was located, and will offer food and games -– a new trend
in dining. Matthews said students have been stating on surveys they wanted
this mixture.
"It’s a really great concept," Geer-Mentry said. "It’s
what students have been saying they want. It combines food and fun –
all in one spot."
The new Corner Pocket will have billiard lights over the pool tables.
The Dance Dance Revolution – where people dance on pads to music
– will be moved up to the new locale.
Next to the Corner Pocket will be the new Geneseo University Store (GUS).
The College is in the process of selling the University Drive GUS building,
which was closed at the end of the school year. As of this writing, a
purchase deal was on the table but not finalized. The new GUS will have
more options, including food to eat in or take out, such as hot soups,
sandwiches and subs, baked potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and salads.
GUS also will have bulk candy, ice cream and a limited amount of groceries.
"It’s going to be a lot of fun," Geer-Mentry said. "This
is a big year of change."
The middle-floor ballroom in the union also will be renovated. The yellow-brown
carpeting on the walls will be replaced with material in a blue hue to
match the College’s official color, and the sconces will be replaced
to reflect a modern look, Matthews said.
In addition, students’ mailboxes will be moved to the lower floor
of the union, where the bookstore used to be located, but a timetable
for this transition was not available as of this writing.
"It’s going to be like a different building," Matthews
said.
In February, Matthews and Geer-Mentry brainstormed the ideas. By the end
of April, they had approval to make the changes.
Matthews said there is a higher demand for on-campus activities. He created
the popular Late Knight program last year. From August through April,
10,455 students participated in 172 Late Knight programs, including arts
and crafts programs. (Students were counted each time they participated
in a program.)
"The first night we ran out of supplies," Matthews said, adding
he had no idea just how popular the arts and crafts activities would be.
Student made tie-dyed T-shirts, painted flowerpots and created items with
beads. Students, including those in the Greek organizations, made cards
and placemats for senior citizens and people in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters
and Head Start programs, Matthews said.
The Late Knight program also includes the Knight Spot dance club. Hours
will be changed from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. to 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., Fridays and
Saturdays, to accommodate students’ social patterns, Matthews said.
The Knight Spot has hosted foam parties, where students dance in suds,
and plays a variety of music, including hip-hop, he said. On average,
the club attracted about 110 students a night, ranging anywhere from from
50 on a slow night to 300 on a busy night. At the foam party, students
went back to their residence halls to get their friends to come, he said.
CAS provided a $10,000 grant to support the Knight Spot to help renovate
the club and provide food, Matthews and Geer-Mentry said. (CAS grants
$25,000 a year for student events and catering.)
In addition, CAS is renovating Red Jacket and Letchworth dining halls.
Several dining facilities in both buildings are getting new window treatments
and wall coverings. Many students stay on their side of campus once they
go to their rooms after classes, Geer-Mentry said.
CAS feeds 3,000 students a day, including 2,700 on-campus students and
900 off-campus students, Geer-Mentry said. In addition, many faculty and
staff eat on campus.
"I would just be thrilled if they stayed on campus 24-7," Geer-Mentry
said.
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Tim
Bishop, a floorshop electrician for the College, installs track
lighting in the student union near the new entrance to the Under
the Sun Bookstore.
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Virginia
Geer-Mentry, director of dining services for Campus Auxiliary Services,
and Chip Matthews, associate director for the college union and
student activities, talk about the renovations of the union in the
site of the new Corner Pocket.
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Geer-Mentry
and Matthews give a behind-the-scenes tour of the union renovations.
Updates include creating a more efficient kitchen setup and installation
of new equipment.
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Photos
by Ron Pretzer
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