Although students will not be able to fully experience the University Center for themselves until early October, they have much to look forward to.
“I literally had chills when I walked in,” President Stephen Jennings said, describing when he recently entered the center to see the summer progress.
Once finished, the center will be a crossroad designed exclusively for the UE community. Dean Dana Clayton, vice president for student affairs, said student focus groups designed to gauge what students want on campus recommended some of the features. Two popular requests were the availability of ATMs and enhanced security options, she said.
The center will include an ATM on the second floor that can be used whenever the center is open. The center itself will be open 22 hours a day, but Clayton said those hours could change with enough student interest.
She said the ATM placement was specifically chosen to give users the most security possible without making them go off campus—day or night.
As a result, after-hours access will be granted through a keycard system with the use of a valid UE ID. A safety and security officer will also be on watch from midnight–4 a.m. for added protection, Clayton said.
Eykamp Hall, the last part of the building to open, will benefit students.
With seating accommodations for up to 500 people, students will not have to travel to off-campus locations to listen to prominent speakers, Clayton said.
“Some speakers we’ve had to go off campus for can now be on campus,” she said.
Clayton said the hall could also act as a venue for other local and regional groups, but students would have first priority.
Also high on student concerns are dining facilities. The center will house Jazzman’s Cafe, Ace’s Place and all other dining options.
Students will see some familiar places, such as Sub Connection and a salad bar, but there will also be new options.
With the selection of a la carte dining, the center will have brick oven pizza, a Freshens smoothie bar, home-style favorites and a bakery, Clayton said.
Wok cooking will add international flavors to the dining center. This, she said, keeps with UE’s international focus.
“[It’s] part of our heritage and part of our future,” Clayton said.
And the billiards, Foosball tables and big-screen TVs will be moved into the center from the Underground. In addition, Clayton said, there will also be e-mail kiosks, laptop checkouts and wireless printing.
“It’s like being in a hotel,” she said.
Even though students may find the inside the most exhilarating aspect, the outside received just as much attention to detail.
Most notably, the east side of the center, which used to be a parking lot, is now a grassy lawn and a terrace.
“It’s not just a parking lot anymore,” Jennings said.
Clayton expects students to use the terrace to relax, play sports and study. It could also be used as a new venue for live music, like Sunset Concert. There will also be patio tables with umbrellas for outdoor dining.
Clayton said certain elements of the building were designed specifically to make it blend in with other campus buildings. Similar bricks to Olmsted Hall’s, limestone used in Bower-Suhrheinrich Library and turrets modeled after Harlaxton were all incorporated into the structure.
“We’re trying to make the overall elements be a part of campus, not just a new building,” she said.
Despite this, Clayton said the purpose of the center is to provide a central location for the academic and social aspects of student life.
A majority of student affairs offices—including career services, residence life, volunteer services, Greek life and other organizations—will now be located in the center.
“We wanted to maximize the opportunity for student leadership to interact with student life staff,” she said.
Sodexo will be the first to move in, followed by student affairs offices and finally WUEV and student publications.
With so many things in one place, overflow is a possibility. But Clayton said it is not something she is worried about.
“It would be a wonderful problem to have,” she said.
But until offices open, students will need to admire the building from afar.
