Last Tuesday, Jan. 21, DU’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) unanimously passed Resolution 26, urging university administration to actively and immediately pursue renovations to the Driscoll Student Center.
The resolution, authored by Junior Senator Adam Hammerman, states that “The Undergraduate Student Government supports the creation of a new Student Center; and, be it further resolved, that [USG] place demands on the administration to expedite the construction of the new student center.”
Hammerman penned the legislation as a response to a lack of usage of Driscoll rooms since the opening of Anderson Academic Commons (AAC) last year.
“The Driscoll Ballroom, which was temporarily used as a library, became vacant with Anderson opening,” said Hammerman. “Other than a select few organizations who choose to meet here regularly, this building that is called the ‘student center’ is very rarely used, and Anderson is where people go for activities now, but you have to do work and be quiet.”
According to Director of Driscoll John Nichols, the current plans for the renovation of Driscoll have already been approved by Chancellor Coombe and will next proceed to review by the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees.
“Obviously the stumbling block for us right now is we have the plan, we just don’t have the money,” said Nichols. “When students speak in favor of something like this, it definitely doesn’t hurt anything.”
Freshman Kristen Kennedy agreed with the resolution, stating, “I don’t stay in Driscoll that often, I just use it to walk to class. I think if there was something interesting [for students] I would stay there more.”
Hammerman further commented that expanding the functions of Driscoll will provide students with a safe place to have fun with friends.
“Students, both undergraduate and graduate, of the University of Denver do not have a facility in which they can both study and socialize with fellow classmates in a constructive environment,” the resolution says, continuing to say that although architectural plans for remodeling the student center have been in place, “DU administration has continually under prioritized the building of a new student center.”
According to USG Advisor Carl Johnson, only three percent of the center’s facilities are open for students to use. Hammerman is currently trying to garner support for that to be expanded, trying to bring student-accessible locations to at least eight percent of the facilities.
“Our ultimate goal from passing [Resolution 26] is that so much student momentum will build from this,” said Hammerman. “In the long run [USG hopes] there will be donations from alumni or someone [else] willing to donate. We believe this is something students could really benefit from.”
Nichols said the renovation of Driscoll was postponed in order to complete the Anderson Academic Commons project after the market crashed in 2008. Without the finances to complete both projects together, the Driscoll renovation was placed on the backburner.
Hammerman said he and USG members do not feel that Driscoll currently suits its role as a student center.
“The way it is now for students is to primarily get to and from classes using the bridge,” said Hammerman. “However the University of Maryland’s student center, for example, has a movie theater, an arcade and a bowling alley. It is literally the center for students. Giving students the ability to go to a center like that would be great for [the university] to do.”
Hammerman encourages students and student organization leaders to join the discussion on the recently formed campus-wide Student Center Committee. The committee is designed to allow students to voice their input on what could be done to improve Driscoll.
Although renovation plans have been under development for several years, Nichols says he would welcome a student committee for more input on what students would like to see in a revamped student center.
“The whole effort has been to bring that number [of students] up significantly and make a place students can hang out and socialize,” said Nichols.
Anyone who is interested in supporting the endeavor can contact leaders of the initiative at DUStudentCenter@gmail.com.
Managing Editor Sarah Ford contributed to the reporting of this story.
