The Student Centre project is poised to move forward, just not quite yet.
In efforts to ensure the building is all that it can possibly be, the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) is working with the Board of Governors in hopes of ensuring the building is owned, in part, by the university, and thus funded in part by the university.
As students, we voted in the last referendum to provide our portion of the funding through a levy fee.
Now, the Board of Governors must examine its options and determine where its funding will come from.
It is expected that the decisions will come about mid-March, determining not only where the money comes from, but, consequently, how much money they have to offer.
In the meantime, some details are emerging as the TCSA prepares to move along the project as soon as funding is confirmed.
Maintenance details such as utilities will be arranged first. Once building management is arranged, the allocation of space can begin.
Until that time, TCSA President Ben Perry can’t even begin to guess who will be moving in.
However, he can vaguely indicate that there will be a clubs and groups space, student lounge or study area, as well as a cafe or pub.
When it comes to space allocation, there are more questions than simply “who will get a new place to call home?” There is also the question about what happens to abandoned spaces in the Colleges.
Will those spaces go back to the Colleges? Will other groups take them over? Certainly, there is concern over issues other than just who’s moving out.
The building will be governed by a proportional committee, made up of representatives from the contributing groups.
At this time, the TCSA is reaching out to the Part-Time and Graduate Student Associations to offer them the opportunity to contribute to and be a part of this project.
The levy for the building, as promised, will not be collected from students until there is need for it, and actually something to offer to the students.
There will likely be architectural drawings so that, as fees are paid, we can know what we’re buying.
If you have questions, ideas, or opinions, you can direct them to the standing email address, studentcentre@trentcentral.ca. It is a quick and easy way to ensure that the culmination of the Student Centre comes from students and their ideas, and allows the TCSA to become aware of the desires held by those students it represents.