The following is an opinion article, and opinion articles do not reflect the views of The Tulane Hullabaloo.

The Student Organizations Center, a high-traffic area for students and organizations currently stands in a state of neglect. The chairs are worn, the tables wobble and poor space management has limited student work space. The Undergraduate Student Government passed a bill allocating $60,000 for a complete refurnishing of the SOC office.

These improvements will improve the flow of the center and the usefulness it provides to the student body, especially to student organizations. The funding comes from USG’s reserve, which consists of money left over from the budget in previous years. This is an appropriate expenditure, especially given that it comes from leftover funds and did not detract from money given to student organizations or student programming. While the initial cost of $60,000 seems high, the measure was approved by the USG Finance Committee, the people who are the most familiar with normal expenses associated with refurbishment, and submitted to USG for approval, where it passed without contention.

Specifically, the new additions will include brand new and updated furniture, as well more ergonomic tables. The tables will also be easy to disassemble and move, allowing for the space to be rapidly transformed to host events, or rearranged to better serve the needs of any organization using the space. This will be an excellent addition for students and will help make the SOC a more accessible space. There will be a variety of tables and chairs in all shapes and sizes in order provide diversity and options for creating working spaces. Combination lockers will also be added in order to make club organization materials more secure and easier to access by the clubs’ leadership.

In addition to the furniture, the setup of the SOC will be changed in order to improve the flow of people through the area, allowing faster intake, and a more friendly atmosphere. Currently, the way the SOC is set up, it feels like walls that one must scale before advancing to the next step, with student employees staring at you from across the desks. The new design will change that lending to a much more friendly, cooperative feel, a change that is well worth the investment. 

USG acted responsibly and properly in their decision to implement these renovations, following all the correct channels and being as transparent as possible. The improvements also come at necessary time, as the furniture in the SOC has become very dilapidated.

Carl Vidrine is a junior in the Newcomb-Tulane College. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].