By Meghan Hall
News Assignment Editor
Several clubs will be moved out of their offices in the basement of the Reilly Center in the coming semesters. Though the changes will not be immediate, the university is repurposing the basement of the RC for increased athletic space. This comes as part of a master plan created by the university over two years ago.
The last two clubs that hold offices in the basement of the RC are The Bona Venture and Campus Activities Board (CAB). Other clubs, including Student Government Association, SBU Dance Team and Bona Buddies have already moved into alternate office spaces in the Reilly Center and the McGinley-Carney Center for Franciscan Ministry.
“Part of the master plan was to utilize some of the space in the basement to add [strength and conditioning]. It was part of a plan, and the whole university participated in that plan,” said Katie O’Brien, vice president of Student Affairs.
When deciding where to move a club, O’Brien said there are several facets that must be taken into consideration. She said among the considerations are number of members, how the club utilizes the space, how much equipment the club has and what the general needs of the club are.
CAB, for example, does not need as much space as some other clubs. Maria Ragonese, a junior English and adolescence education double major, said, “For CAB, this move is not a problem at all, since it is just the office the executive board meets. We don’t hold events in the office, and we can plan anywhere, so us moving really doesn’t affect us.” Ragonese serves as the co-chair for special events.
While both CAB and The BV are well aware that their departure is impending, neither of the student organizations know where they will be relocated. Carole McNall, the faculty adviser for The BV and associate professor of journalism, said that she scoped out possible spaces with Provost Joseph Zimmer, Director of Facilities Ron Hurlburt and retired Director of Facilities Phil Winger over the summer of 2018.
“We looked at some spaces in Murphy, and at the time, there weren’t any spaces that were both available and appropriate,” McNall said. “What was available was way too small, and what was appropriate, wasn’t available.”
Neither CAB nor The BV have received a concrete date by which they will need to relocate. Robbie Chulick, CAB’s faculty adviser, said, “We will continue to work with the appropriate campus authorities.”
Classes have also been displaced by the university’s master plan. McNall said, “I’d had a couple of classes scheduled for this semester in RC 2, and [during] finals week, the registrar got in touch with me and said, ‘We’re going to have to relocate your classes.’”
O’Brien noted that the university will continue to communicate with clubs that will feel the effects of the RC renovations in the coming semesters. For now, though, CAB and The BV will stay in the basement of the Reilly.
hallml18@bonaventure.edu
