Student groups unhappy with space allocation in Perelman

Some student groups seeking office space in the new Perelman Quadrangle student center are already angry about the recommendations of a student-faculty space usage committee. But the recommendations are not scheduled for official release until later this week. "I don't think anyone's happy with what they're getting," said College senior Miae Oh, chairperson of the Undergraduate Assembly's Facilities Committee and a member of the space allocation group. "So far, there isn't a specific room for a certain organization," she added. "There are groups in rooms, and no one gets their own." A complete draft of the preliminary space usage plans will be available later this week, according to Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum. But the plans will probably not be finalized until the committee's next meeting, the week of December 14, she said. Because the full draft has not yet been released, many student groups are uncertain of where they stand -- or where they will be sitting, meeting, rehearsing or taking telephone calls when the Perelman Quad is completed. Some groups have consulted with the committee about their needs. Although the committee has already responded to them with proposals, group members are still not pleased. At the moment, for example, the plans include the relocation of the UA and Graduate and Professional Student Assembly offices -- as well as the Office of Student Life -- to the area that is now 200 Houston Hall, Provost Stanley Chodorow said. These rooms currently house the Program for Student-Community Involvement, and have also served as office space for the Vice Provost for University Life. But College senior Lance Rogers, chairperson of the UA, said he is under the impression that all student government branches -- including the Student Activities Council, Social Planning and Events Committee, Student Committee on Undergraduate Education, Nominations and Elections Committee and Class Boards -- are going to share the 200 Houston Hall space. "I have reservations about us all fitting there," he said. Oh said that at the least, two groups are slated to share office space. Administrators hope these arrangements will provide the best use of the available space while improving communication between student groups. "Just because it's not what they have right now doesn't mean it's not possible, it's not workable," she said. "It's not bad, either -- it's just different. People are going to have to adjust." Some student leaders agreed that it is too early to make a judgment on the space allocation plans. College senior Graham Robinson, chairperson of SAC, said that he believes the construction of the Perelman Quad will provide "a tremendous improvement in student space." "I am not concerned with exclusive office space for groups, as that space is often wasted or inefficiently used," he said. "I am interested in seeing an increase in common space, as well as performance space for performing arts groups. Perelman will create dramatically more space in both areas."

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