Samantha Hirschman | Marketing and Events Manager

Buena Vista University administrators are gathering information from students for a possible renovation of the Harold Walter Siebens Forum.

On Sept. 6, approximately 15 student leaders from Student MOVE, Student Senate, and the Student Activities Board were invited to meet with the architects and design firm and offer their suggestions and to represent the the student body as a whole. The same architects have previously worked on the Pierce/White renovation and the Science Center construction. BVU administrators have also have brought in a design firm who specializes in student spaces.

Conversations about a Forum redo have been in progress for many years. According to President Moore, the student voice is very important in this process because the purpose of the remodel would be to make the Forum more student-oriented.

Throughout the session, the architects asked students what their top priorities are. The students identified four common goals:

• Give a substantially larger space to the CAE
• Move Health Services to the Forum
• Create a more focused student leadership area
• Include a BVU-spirited lounge area relocating the information desk

Prior to meeting with students, the companies also spoke with faculty and staff to get a sense of their desires for the remodel. The proposed renovation plan met every goal.

The following day consisted of the architects asking students during lunch what they would want to see in the Forum.

On Sept. 22, Moore visited the Student Senate meeting to explain the discussion of the Forum renovation. Moore emphasized that there is planning happening for the Forum, but that nothing has been decided yet.

Moore explained that many have asked “Why now?” and “Why in his last year of presidency?” He explained that there are “good reasons to do this now” and that it is “in part because of my departure.”

Moore feels confident that the board will like the plan, but they can approve or disapprove any or all of it.

“Is it a certainty? No,” Moore stated clearly.

He explained there is a good chance that this may happen, but there is no guarantee.

In the case that it is approved, the remodel would happen in phases and the students should know fairly quickly after the decision is made.

Photo by Dee Friesen