| Bookstore
renovations to be completed by 2003
Catherine
Quill Business Affairs Beat
Appalachian
State University Bookstore renovations have been approved by the
state and are underway, according to Jane Helm, vice chancellor
of Business Affairs, and Clyde Robbins, director of Design and Construction.
Robbins feels
the construction will be completed by the fall of 2003.
The project
will add an additional 20,000 square feet to the existing building,
nearly doubling it in size, and include new features and services
for students.
Utilities relocations
outside of the bookstore, part of the first phase of the project,
are already underway, which Robbins expects to be finished by February.
Robbins said
presently there is a problem with a handicap access ramp being blocked
by a fence where the utility work is taking place. Administrators
are meeting with compliance officers and students to talk about
other ramps that are handicap accessible.
The next steps
include building an addition and then renovating the old building,
according to Helm.
Once the addition
is completed, which Robbins believes will be the summer of 2002,
the bookstore will move into that area while the remaining renovations
are completed.
The five present
stories will be compiled into three, with the top floor containing
administrative offices.
"There'll
be two levels of retail space," said Michael Costen, director
of the university bookstore. The second floor will contain the rental
and supplemental textbook areas, along with clothing, gifts, school
supplies and the computer supply store.
"It's
hard to say exactly what will be on the first floor," said
Costen.
Plans include
the Scholar's Bookstore, a newsstand, a convenience store, a cyber
cafe and some type of food outlet. College Street will be rebuilt
to accommodate an outside eating area.
There will also
be a business service section, including packaging and shipping
services and fax and copy machines. Costen said these will most
likely be self-operated.
Costen said
the feel of the bookstore will be "something similar to a Barnes
& Noble or Border's."
The service
portion of the bookstore will operate at later hours than the retail
section. "We don't know what our hours of operation will be,"
said Costen.
"We're
anticipating the need to modify the hours. Most likely, the second
level will be closed and the ground level will be open after hours."
Costen also
said the hours will be determined by student needs.
As the Plemmons
Student Union undergoes a facelift, plans are being made to modify
the entrances of the bookstore so students may enter from the union.
"It will
be connected to the student union," said Robbins.
The two buildings
will connect at the solarium, which is one of the additions to the
student union.
"The idea
is to expand to serve more needs," said Helm. She also added
that the construction will cost $5.8 million and will be paid for
by bookstore revenue.
Costen believes
the construction will not interrupt the bookstore's overall operation,
although at times walking patterns will be changed and areas of
accessibility may not be as convenient.
"I don't
see any problems," said Costen. "I see challenges and
opportunities."
Vehicle
larceny in Stadium Parking Lot sparks investigation
Sarah Sparks
- Police Beat
In the early
hours of Friday, Sept. 22, a vehicle was stolen from Stadium Parking
Lot outside of Eggers Hall. Sometime between 11:30 p.m. Thursday
night and 1:30 a.m. Friday morning, a black 1998 Honda Passport
was taken from the lot by an unknown suspect.
A student from
Lees-McRae College visiting a student in Eggers Hall had parked
the vehicle in Stadium when the larceny took place.
According to
the Appalachian State University Police Department, there was no
broken glass on the scene, so it is not clear how the suspect was
able to break into the car.
The license
plate is North Carolina tag number MTX-8610. There are no other
distinguishing marks on the vehicle. Authorities hope that the suspect
will not get far in the vehicle before the plates are identified
and the car is recovered.
Many Appalachian
students are expressing uneasy feelings following the crime. Leslie
Atalese, a freshman and resident of Eggers, said, "It makes
me a little nervous, not only about parking in the lot on weekends,
but also about the safety of my dorm room. I am more wary now of
walking through the parking lot to my room, especially at night."
Another freshman,
Bobby Maloney, expressed similar concerns. "This incident gives
me an uneasy feeling about leaving my car in the lot for a long
period of time, specifically over night. I will be sure to lock
my doors from now on."
Freshman Elizabeth
Hagar questions the security provided for vehicles on campus and
at off-campus lots. "I wonder how many cars have been vandalized
in school lots or at State Farm," said Hagar.
"I know
of one particular incident where a student's car was broken into
at State Farm, and I am curious as to whether there are some security
measures that have not been explored."
As a note of
condolence to students, the police department's crime records report
that this is one of only eight cars stolen off of school property
in the last three years.
The Watauga
Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for any pertinent
information leading to the recovery of the vehicle. The police department
also reminds students that they have the option of remaining anonymous
when reporting crimes to the Crimestoppers hotline.
Retreat
allows SGA senators to meet informally
Malcolm
Smith Student Government Beat
With the pressure
of senate elections behind them, the Student Government Association
(SGA) held a retreat for senators on Sept. 22-23 in the John E.
Thomas Building and the Wesley Foundation.
Focusing their
agenda on teamwork, educating the senators on proper parlimentary
procedure and comraderie, the retreat allowed the senators and cabinet
members to form a closer working relationship in the interest of
the student body.
SGA Chief-of-Staff
Joanna Clary, who organized the retreat, developed exercises to
promote effective communication between senators and their constituents.
"The leadership
skills the senators used in the [scenarios] were being open to meeting
new people and being [accessible] to the [student body]," said
Clary.
Taking advantage
of the weekend retreat, Senator Patrick Gravinese found the weekend
useful in relationships he has with his represenatives in Doughton
Hall.
"Working
with [SGA] this weekend helped us interact with our constituents
better," said Gravinese.
The retreat
allowed the senators a chance to let their hair down and get to
know their other senators and SGA officials.
Ryan Eller,
senator representing Coltrane Hall, enjoyed the retreat despite
a low turnout due to Family Weekend.
"I thought
it was a wonderful experience. ... It was a great way to get closer
to everbody in our organization," said Eller.
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