University buys off-campus house for retreats
By JASON McFARLEY
News Editor
Following an announcement of major renovations to the Alumni-Senior Club, student life officials have made public plans for two additional projects to improve social space options.
Campus Life Council members at a meeting Monday read about the changes in a letter from Father Mark Poorman, vice president for Student Affairs. The Feb. 6 letter to student body president Brooke Norton details dining hall renovations and purchase of an off-campus house for student use.
The Office of Student Affairs is working with Food Services on the planned renovation of the upstairs dining room in South Dining Hall, Poorman wrote. He said Student Activities officials Brian Coughlin and Peggy Hnatusko have been involved in the plans and will likely be in touch with Norton's office for student input, the letter said.
"With the renovation of the dining room we hope to address the need for more `programmable' space for students and student organizations," Poorman wrote.
He said there would be opportunities for groups to use the room for dances, parties, banquets, performances and meetings.
The room will be available for use in August, he said.
Student Affairs' second initiative is the acquisition of the "Creek House" located next to Juday Creek just north of campus and adjacent to Warren Golf Course. Officials plan to recondition the small house and make it available to students through the Student Activities Office.
"Again, it is a venue for `programmable' space that students can utilize," Poorman said in the letter, encouraging the home's use for short trips away from the University. "It provides an ideal setting for day-long retreats, team-building activities and the like."
He said his office is working with University administrators to complete the project by its May target date. The house will be available to students in August.
"It's another good thing for students," Norton said Monday. "I think it's exciting that there are two more venues we can use for social space programming."
In other CLC news:
u Student body president- and vice president-elect Libby Bishop and Trip Foley, respectively, attended the meeting as guests.
Bishop and Foley, who take office April 1, said they would now begin attending CLC, Executive Cabinet and Student Senate meetings. Bishop begins her term as CLC chair in August, but the two assume leadership of the other organizations in April.
Contact Jason McFarley at mcfarley.1@nd.edu
All News Stories for Tuesday, February 19, 2002
