The Campus Life Council (CLC) unanimously passed a resolution Monday recommending renovations for LaFortune Student Center as part of the Campus Master Plan, a 15-year plan developed in 2002 that calls for major improvements to various parts of campus. Zahm Hall senator Pat Knapp presented the proposal - drawn up by the Student Senate Committee on Residence Life - which called for improvements to the existing social space, dining options, technological capabilities and storage space at LaFortune.
"We conducted some focus groups to determine what students' needs were in all these areas," Knapp said.
These focus groups allowed current students to reflect on what the purpose of a student center should be, while also discussing possible improvements or additions.
"We recommend some 'action venues' in the future," Knapp said. "For example, a bowling alley. Some place that's really gender neutral, some place that involves more than sitting on a couch and watching TV."
Knapp discussed improving the dining options at LaFortune by bringing in local South Bend restaurants to fill any future vacancies. The resolution mentions that bringing in local businesses could help students develop "meaningful relationships with the South Bend community." The resolution also brings up a frequent student request discovered by the task force- longer evening hours for Burger King.
The Senate Residence Life committee broached the issue of increasing storage space in the building for student groups to director of student activities Brian Coughlin. Storage space is filled to capacity right now, but Student Activities will look into adding closet space in the long-term renovation plan, Knapp said.
With regards to improving the technology offerings in LaFortune, the Senate committee recommended making wireless more widely available throughout the building.
The resolution will be sent to Vice President of Student Affairs Father Mark Poorman.
In other CLC news:
-The CLC task force on social concerns wants to alert incoming freshmen of the dangers posed by third party websites and illegal downloading and file-sharing. They intend to give cautionary information to new students during Freshman Orientation.
-Student Union Board manager Jimmy Flaherty discussed his meeting with the Office of Information Technologies to create a "database of student leaders." Under this new site, prospective student leaders could fill out online applications and committees could then sift through the database to find committee members. Flaherty said it was highly unlikely the site would be in place by next year.
