With the campus bookstore moving off to its new College Town location, the school administration is left with a large space under Douglass that they must fill. While in every discussion some voices are heard louder than others, we hope that those in charge will carefully weigh all of the options before finally deciding. While some options may be cheaper, easier to implement, or its proponents loudest: it is important the administraion considers both new and old ideas before coming to a final decision.
One of the more common proposals has been to expand Douglass downstairs and create a larger dining hall to remedy the increasing lines and crowdedness in Douglass, along with complaints that the dining hall has less variety than Danforth. While this idea has some merit, creating a quasi-Danforth might not be the most effective use of the space. In addition, there are some that praise Douglass for its stable menu and the security of knowing that they can rely on a few choice items, like the pizza or kosher sandwiches, always being there.
Another lesser heard proposal is to turn that area into a full “Quiet Study Area.” While Gleason has its own version of that, the room tends to not stay that quiet and Gleason itself is known to not be the most conducive library for getting work done. A stand-alone Quiet Study Area may or may not be the best use of the space, but it and other quieter ideas deserve at least some contemplation.
And these two aren’t the only ideas that deserve their day in the sun. Other ideas include a movie theatre, Hillside outlet, even installing a sauna… We ask that the administration weighs all the options, from faculty and student alike; all before coming to a conclusion om what to do with a space rife with endless possibilities.
