BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Upon completion in 2008, USF will have one of the largest and most modern student center facilities in the Southeast, thus having a significant impact on the quality of student life for USF students. Make sure to check out the links to the left for more information!
Proposal for Building Includes:
- New larger Food Court with more options, more brands and more seating
- Restaurant and Sports Grill
- New larger Ballroom (twice as big)
- More offices for Student Organizations and Student Government
- Auditorium for 600 - 800 (for movies, lectures, concerts)
- Main study lounge, TV lounge and several small lounges
- Atrium and large open multipurpose space
- (25) meeting rooms (twice what we have now)
- Art Gallery
- Retail Spaces providing more services for students
- More offices
We have a total of 161,000 sq. ft.; however, the 55,000 sq. ft. in the Special Events Center is not as useable on a "day to day" basis because it is a stationary seating arena. So we do banquets on the arena floor, have activities in the lobby etc. but it is not easy to maximize the facility. Thus, we are trying to meet our "day to day" needs in the 106,000 sq. ft. Marshall Student Center - which is just not possible.
When state universities and colleges build or renovate Student Unions they are almost always funded by student fees; not by the state or university budgets. Buildings such as the Marshall Student Center are considered "auxiliary" to the university and if they are to be improved it is the students who pay for it. No one wants to pay more to go to school, especially when there might be a tuition increase next year. Some say they support the project but this is not a good time for a fee increase. It's never a good time for a fee increase. This project has languished for four years and we cannot wait any longer to get it going. With inflation each year, the longer we wait the more it's going to cost.
Any questions? Get more answers.
