By Megan Kelly
News Assistant
On Wednesday, Sept. 28, Director of Dining Services Karen Roth and General Manager Patrice Mendes gave a presentation to Student Government (SG) regarding the renovations to the Brower Student Center. Student Government also voted to approve two new College clubs: VegLife and the Occupational Therapy Club.
At the beginning of the meeting, Vice President of Advancement Samantha Williams spoke of an SG fundraiser at The Turning Point in Princeton, N.J., later this month.
“We’re going to get 15 percent of any of the profit that they make off of the food that day between 8 a.m. and noon, so I really want to get everyone out there, bring your committees and really raise some money for Student Government,” Williams said.
Later on, Dining Services gave an overview of all of the new dining options that are set to open in the student center.
When deciding on what the new student center should look like, Mendes said there were three important aspects that had to be included in the final idea.
“There had to be space for students coming in, it had to be able to handle meal equiv and we had to have as much variety as we can,” she said.
Mendes said the new food-serving area includes not only the area where the Lions Den was, but it also takes up a lot of the food court space where students used to sit and eat.
“So it’s a very linear, very long space which allows you guys to get in, get what you need and get out without having to have that little cramped feeling,” Mendes said.
New food options include a fresh burger and fresh-cut French fry station, a pizza and pasta station that features freshly made dough and sauce, and a sushi and hot Asian food station. There will also be six registers scattered throughout the space.
While the student center will have 250 seats once the second phase of renovations is finished, there will only be about 160 seats available when the renovated part of the building opens in a few weeks. Seating will be placed in the banquet hall and in the dining hall, but once the pool tables are moved to their own room, more seating will be available.
“We are happy to say that it should be opening mid-October, maybe even a little sooner,” Mendes said.
Next in the meeting, two new clubs presented to SG: VegLife, a vegetarian/vegan club and the Occupational Therapy Club, a group specifically for occupational therapy majors. SG debated about the legitmacy of both of the clubs and ultimately decided to recognize them as official College clubs.
