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Photos by Amber Quaid /Wave Courtsey of TAMUCC flickr
University Center finally completed
Year long renovation and additions completed for 2015-2016 by ISAAC PAGE contributing writer
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f your college doesn’t have at least one major construction project on campus, is it even a real college? After almost two years of undergoing major upgrades and renovations, the University Center is partially open and is nearing full completion to accommodate the growing number of students attending the Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi campus. Renovations came as a result of a referendum, in which students voted in favor to increase the fee toward the Student Center Complex, a fee with the purpose of maintaining and operating the building. “By having that money from students, we were able to use the funds generated from that to bond to get
funding for the actual building,” said Lisa Perez, Director of University Center and Student Activities. Upgrades for the revamped University Center include more areas for quiet study sessions, more space for dining and more windows for natural lighting. Offices housed inside the University Center also received major upgrades. The university did away with the tired high school-like cafeteria tables in the food court and added more aesthetically pleasing round, compact tables in which two or more people can sit. Also new to the food court are a row of booths that separate the court into two halves with the round tables on each side. The existing stairwell on the northeast side of the building is no longer exposed to the elements instead it is now enclosed.
Also new to the University Center is a brand new patio area complete with a large, Islander blue pergola and shade seating, which is located on the south side of the building. A major addition to the University Center is the Anchor Ballroom, located on the west side of the building. It’s twice the size of its predecessor, the Lone Star Ballroom. This provides more meeting space for students to utilize, said Perez. About two years prior to the groundbreaking of the new University Center in September 2013, the university conducted a feasibility study. “We went out and asked students what is it that they wanted out of the expanded University Center and the big things that came up was more lounge space for students and more space for eating,” Perez said.
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Dining and retail space has also been expanded, creating more options for students looking to grab a quick bite or purchase a few items. Panda Express and Pizza Hut will join Chick-fil-A as two new fast food chains to be anchored inside the Center. Students who frequent the University Center are enthusiastic about the new additions and the renovations have garnered generally positive reviews. “It’s really big … there’s a lot more other places to sit down and study, it’s really nice,” said Kimberly Smoots, a senior psychology major who also works in the University Center. Smoots works for iTeam, a student organization located on the second floor of the University Center that focuses on drug and alcohol VOLUME 26, ISSUE 20