Bill forms UMC food service commission to discuss Alferd Packer renovations
Dining areas in the UMC may be getting a facelift, after UCSU passed a bill on Nov. 15 that will discuss a small-scale renovation of the student union’s food service areas.
The bill enables the creation of a food service commission, which will review the quality of the UMC facilities and the services it provides and present a financial report to UCSU. The commission will then conduct a study focusing on small-scale renovations of the UMC, particularly the Alferd Packer Grill dining area.
A food service commission was first created in Oct. 2006 and assigned to present a financial report of the UMC food services and to study four options for UMC renovations. The commission members concluded that a smaller scale renovation of the UMC in front of the Alfred Packer Grill was financially the wisest decision. The commission dissolved in May 2007 with no action for renovations taken.
UMC Director Carlos Garcia said he thinks that the current dining area is too small and uninviting.
“We want it to be more visible and inviting, less dark and dingy,” Garcia said. “Right now, (that area) has 900 seats … but really only 400 are used at any given time. One goal is to change the table setup.”
Tri-executive Sara Davine, who co-authored the bill, hopes that the commission will also look forward to doing a large-scale renovation sometime in the future.
The commission will use the leftover $22,557 originally allocated for last year’s commission.
The CU administration did not approve of the feasibility study’s findings because, if a renovation does take place, it will affect student fees. Garcia estimates it would cost each student two or three dollars per semester.
Regent Michael Carrigan, creator of the recent Tobacco Survey, was scheduled to give a report on his proposed smoking ban but did not show at the meeting.
UCSU passed a bill that would edit the Cultural Events Board’s by-laws, along with completely revamping the CEB website.
A bill editing the Student Group Funding Board’s Code was also passed.
This bill will change the timeline in the code, making the SGFB one year ahead of the UCSU budget cycle. In the past, SGFB couldn’t give final approval to groups asking for money until after their plea went through the Legislative Council, which often meant they would have to wait until the spring when Legislative Council wrote their budget.
The AIR board announced that Radio 1190 is currently getting approximately 20,000 listeners every week. Radio 1190 will have a new segment discussing women’s issues either weekly or biweekly from the Women’s Resource Center. This is part of the station’s recent effort to increase the diversity of their listeners.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Julie Ryan at ryanja@thecampuspress.com.
