Meeting Pushes for Student Center

For undergraduates looking for a place to meet with their student group, see a show or just hang out on the weekends, Loker Commons and its infamous LED board may not quite cut it.

But at last night's "town meeting" of student group leaders and Undergraduate council members, the dream of a new and improved student center may have come one step closer to reality.

Held at the ARCO Forum, the meeting was co-sponsored by the council and the Harvard Political Union. About 40 students, including several representative from campus publications and cultural organizations, attend of the hour-long discussion.

"The student center is something everyone seems to talk about, and everyone seems to be talking about something different," said council president Noah Z. Seton '00, who opened the forum.

Seton stressed that the initiative "will require the collaboration of every student group on campus."

"Student groups are going to have to be the energy behind the initiative," he said. "To keep it moving, we need your help."

Seton and other council officers cited a lack of student group offices and performance space as the major problems the center would solve.

"These groups don't have a room with a computer and a file cabinet. They're working out of a desk. That's wrong," said Council vice President Kamil E. Redmond '00.

Seton also said social space is another important concern.

"With the decline of House life due to randomization, students need a place to gather," he said.

Samuel C. Cohen '00, who chairs the council's Student Center Working Group, spoke about "the new emphasis on cross-campus community" and said he hoped the student center would "serve as a new focal point."

Cohen, who served as the council's vice president last year, said he envi-

sioned "a mall-type area" that world housesmall businesses such as photocopying services anda mail depot, as well as a casual study space.

"You can think of this area...as a TicknorLounge with a food court," he said.

Redmond also addressed the question of howethnic and women's groups would fit into thecouncil's vision.

She suggested separating the building into"wings," housing offices for similarly themedorganizations in the same areas.

"We need a space where groups can talk togetherand have a general discourse on ideas," Redmondsaid, recommending that office for publication,counseling groups, cultural groups and others beclustered by category.

But Jason B. Phillips '99, vice president ofthe Black Students Association (BSA), warnedagainst the "self-segregation" the separate wingsmight promote.

"The last thing [the BSA] would want to do ismove into an `ethnic' wing," he told the audience.

"It will have a stigma," Phillips added afterthe forum ended.

Redmond emphasized that the center would stillbe "an open space" and that the wings weredesigned not to separate student groups but tobring them together.

"I do think creating this space and bringingthese groups together is a great idea," sheexplained, citing the recent Cultural Rhythmsfestival as "a great example of how ethnicorganizations can come together."

Reaction from campus leaders who attended wasgenerally positive, but several said they feltthat there were still issues to be worked out.

"I definitely support the initiative they'retaking," said Tony Yung '00, co-president of theChinese Students Association.

Yung expressed concern about the feasibility ofsome of the council's ideas.

"If you're going to give office space to 241groups... It seems kind of difficult. But I likethe cause," he said.

Phillips agreed.

"It's a good idea," he said. "It just needs tobe more clearly defined.

sioned "a mall-type area" that world housesmall businesses such as photocopying services anda mail depot, as well as a casual study space.

"You can think of this area...as a TicknorLounge with a food court," he said.

Redmond also addressed the question of howethnic and women's groups would fit into thecouncil's vision.

She suggested separating the building into"wings," housing offices for similarly themedorganizations in the same areas.

"We need a space where groups can talk togetherand have a general discourse on ideas," Redmondsaid, recommending that office for publication,counseling groups, cultural groups and others beclustered by category.

But Jason B. Phillips '99, vice president ofthe Black Students Association (BSA), warnedagainst the "self-segregation" the separate wingsmight promote.

"The last thing [the BSA] would want to do ismove into an `ethnic' wing," he told the audience.

"It will have a stigma," Phillips added afterthe forum ended.

Redmond emphasized that the center would stillbe "an open space" and that the wings weredesigned not to separate student groups but tobring them together.

"I do think creating this space and bringingthese groups together is a great idea," sheexplained, citing the recent Cultural Rhythmsfestival as "a great example of how ethnicorganizations can come together."

Reaction from campus leaders who attended wasgenerally positive, but several said they feltthat there were still issues to be worked out.

"I definitely support the initiative they'retaking," said Tony Yung '00, co-president of theChinese Students Association.

Yung expressed concern about the feasibility ofsome of the council's ideas.

"If you're going to give office space to 241groups... It seems kind of difficult. But I likethe cause," he said.

Phillips agreed.

"It's a good idea," he said. "It just needs tobe more clearly defined.