When marketing to prospective students, the university touts its many student activities and a vibrant student life on campus. Yet, despite so many organizations and events for Bonnies to get involved with on campus, there is no centralized location for student activities. The physical placement of student life departments scattered in different buildings can sometimes make for a disconnected feel on campus.
There are more than 50 campus clubs ranging from academic like Mock Trial and Model U.N. to advocacy groups like Embrace it Africa and Tread Lightly. However, there is not one centralized location where all of these clubs can convene. Because there is no student union building on campus, there is a lack of a physical presence showcasing the vibrant student life St. Bonaventure certainly has.
Obviously, the university can’t build a student activity center, but St. Bonaventure could consider finding a centralized location for offices and meeting rooms for clubs and groups to make a student activity hub on campus. The greatest challenge in creating a place where student activities congregate is finding an existing location.
According to Rob DeFazio, director of the Center for Activities, Recreation and Leadership (CARL), this is something the department of student life is constantly examining. Following former assistant director of CARL’s departure in spring 2013, DeFazio and his team decided to change the physical location of some of the offices because his team constantly and ran back and forth between the Reilly Center and Richter to sign papers or communicate in person. This led to moving the former student activity hub of RC 208 to the Richter Center, now home to the offices of DeFazio and Abby Cohen, associate director of club sports, intramurals and student engagement. DeFazio said the change makes sense because students who have any questions about clubs or activities go to the Richter.
This change still has flaws. Traditionally, campuses have student unions devoted to student socialization and recreation. DeFazio admits the Richter is not a student union because it is not a place students hang out and lounge.
There would be great benefits of centralized office spaces for clubs and groups to congregate. Offices in the Reilly Center could be shuffled to create a student club wing on the first or basement floor. Currently an under-utilized and unappealing space, the basement wing could be filled with signs and information detailing all about campus clubs. Some clubs, including College Republicans, currently have authorized space in the area, and The Bona Venture newsroom itself will be shifting its location to the RC basement, making it the perfect time to designate the entire wing for student club use.
The RC basement would be the perfect space for rooms designated solely for the purpose of meeting space for students, which Bonaventure currently does not offer. A spot dedicated to student clubs and groups on campus would be a welcome addition to campus and a wonderful physical representation of everything students are involved with at Bonaventure. Hopefully, in the near future, busy Bonnies will be meeting for clubs and activities in the RC basement.
This editorial represents the opinion of The Bona Venture staff.
