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VITAE
September 27,1973
Campus Forum
What is the most significant change
on the CSB campus this year?
"The most significant change? The addition of snooping reporters from the CSB newspaper. I've sat here in the commons many times and never been attacked by a St. Ben's news reporter."
Jim Pauley, SJU junior
"Our renovations are unfinished. But that's no change. Our postage meters say, "Today's place for tomorrow's woman." Maybe they should read, "Yesterday's place for tomorrow's woman."
Sr. Nancy Hynes, Public Information Dir.
"My relation to the whole campus is different this year because I'm a sister. Also, the physical spreading out of St. Ben's has broadened our community. I wonder, though, how it has affected people and their relation to each other. I'm wondering if the kids are still getting together building spirit among themselves." Sr. Jean Vanderline, CSB Senior
¦*(
"I think there is more dedication to work on the campus this year. Students are really working to achieve a goal. Last year as freshmen we took things too lightly - this year people are more serious.
Martha Erpelding, CSB Sophomore
Student center nears reality
By Connie
A relaxing place to meet friends for a coke or a beer, a place to get one's mail, a store to purchase books, cards, gifts ... a student center.
Three years ago, Ms. Ranella Stagner and Mr. Michael Ryan began to plan and fight for a student center that would include the above. Late last year, President Stanley J. Idzerda agreed that a committee should be established. This committee's job was to determine the feasibility of such an addition to the College of St. Benedict.
Chaired by Mr Ryan, the committee members were Ms. Ranella Stagner, Ms. Miriam Hof, Sr. Rosalinda Wagner, Sr. Katherine Kraft, Ms. Genevieve Flanagan, Sr. Colleen Haggerty, Mr. Leo Sadlo, and students Terry Kotula and Colleen Kenny.
The committee quickly decided a student center would be an important asset to the CSB campus, and chose Mr. Peter L. Truszinski as the architect to design the building. The Housing and Renovations Com-
mittee selected an area north of the gymnasium and east of Aurora Hall as the site.
The planned student center would be a building of many functions. Located in its entrance would be campus post office boxes. Each faculty member and student would have a combination-locked mail box there. The bookstore would be quartered in the lower level and a social center situated in the upper level. There would also be office space for SAB and VITAE.
'The social center would have a pub-like atmosphere, a nice place with carpeting, perhaps, and a beam ceiling. And the students could get involved in designing the interior," said Mr. Ryan. "It would have a juke box, a small dance floor or area where students could come in with guitars or play the piano - spontaneous entertainment!"
The architect estimated the cost of the student center to be close to $250,000. The problem of finding that money is now holding back further developments of the center.
However, the Board of Trustees approved the advertisement of bids by construction companies, and they should be in soon.
"When we get the bids, we'll examine the estimate of income and the bids to see how and when we can go to the executive committee. Once the bids are let, then the com-mitee can fund the student center," said Dr. Idzerda. "And we will be looking for foundation support. But we have to be certain that each dollar we spend or seek is to have significance for our college community."
Funding is an area of great concern. But according to several persons, so is the need for a student center at CSB.
"We've worked really hard and done a lot of planning," said Ms. Stagner. "And it is such a great need, just a tremendous need. It's a social center that is really in need on this campus."
Ms. Hof agreed. "Mary Commons just isn't big enough anymore to
tie us all together. The campus is bigger than the Commons. An additional building located out far enough for everyone to gather is needed to build a sense of community between those living on and off campus. There is a need, also, of a central place to get mail and in-, formation to keep communication flowing."
The student center would also create jobs as part of the student work program. Ms. Stagner said it was possible that the center would create 20 to 30 additional jobs for students.
"We should make every effort to see that the student center is begun this year because we need it," said Dr. Idzerda. "We need it, first of all, for the services that the bookstore would give. Right now the bookstore is inadequate in size. Secondly, we need it for a unified and relatively secure mail service. And Jastly, we need social space. Persons tend to come into their humanity by gathering together in social spaces."
