This article has been corrected from its original version.
The nearly 4,000 people who use the computer lab on Baker University Center's first floor each school year might have to scatter throughout the building to check their e-mail or print papers.
Brice Bible, chief information officer, asked for Student Senate's opinion regarding possible changes to the computer lab at last night's meeting. Bible said the Office of Information Technology wants to move services currently located in the HDL Center ' such as computer help, software sales and ID card replacement ' into half of the computer lab's space.
Although he does not have a specific timeline in mind, Bible said he already discussed the modifications with Kent Smith, vice president for Student Affairs, and wanted to receive the senate's feedback before moving forward with the plan.
Computer kiosks would be installed around Baker Center to make up for the loss of desktops in the lab. The services area would also house an Apple store with trained OIT staff for help, Bible said.
It seems logical to get those two together
he said. The lab would be about half the space and the rest of the space would be a one-stop shop for students related to Information Technology. So any technology need that a student has they can go there.
The services are currently offered in the HDL Center, but Bible noted the inconvenience of the location. And though some have been moved closer to campus in the Computer Services Center near Bentley Hall, he said it wasn't enough.
Some members of the senate, including Senate President Tim Vonville, questioned how the proposition related to the suggestions for renovating The Oasis, next to Morton Hill.
Last year, the Oasis Ad Hoc Committee received a plan from Dining Services that would turn the building into a combination technology and whole foods store.
Amanda Estok, commissioner for city and county, said using The Oasis would keep a useful space open and accessible.
I would hate to see you use a space we do utilize right now
and I think it's pretty convenient having a computer lab that large in Baker
Estok said. I just think [students] are going to miss it.
Bible said the Baker Center lab option would be far less costly than moving to The Oasis because it only involves moving equipment. The Oasis would take more time and renovations.
In addition, the senate once again debated the structure of the Student Trustee Selection Committee at its meeting. Chris Diehl, Academic Affairs commissioner, presented a resolution that would add representatives from Graduate
Student Senate and the College of Osteopathic Medicine to the existing group.
Josh Gargiulo, senator for Off-Campus Living, proposed an amendment to Diehl's resolution that would have added non-voting representatives from the Faculty, Administrative and Classified Senates to the committee. Diehl did not accept the amendment, and the resolution did not pass. The senate members voted 22 to 14 against it, with one abstention.
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Kristina Hauptmann
