Ashley Lemke | Contributing Writer
I have always seen the lack of a student-oriented spaces as an issue on campus, but wasn’t sure how to go about suggesting a fix or what that change would look like. Just a few short weeks ago, a group of consultants came to BVU to discuss tentative forum renovations with student leaders. I jumped at the opportunity to weigh in on the conversation.
The group of architectural consultants asked for the students’ thoughts and opinions on what was working in the forum, what could be improved, and what they could do to make the space better for students. Leaders from across campus came together to voice their thoughts about everything from the serve, coffee shop, the CAE, bookstore, forum classrooms, etc. Our conversation with the consultants ranged from them asking us what our favorite place on campus was to what kinds of things we would like to see changed in the forum.
Two themes arose from our discussion: “Siebens-y” and “spirited.” The overall consensus of the students leaders was that the forum was too “Siebens-y” and therefore squelched students’ opportunity to show their school spirit. This terminology, “Siebens-y,” was used because of the restrictions students have when it comes to decoration, conferencing, and the overall expectations and rules that come with the donation of the Siebens family. While we all appreciate the Siebens generous giving, we feel restricted.
We want to show our school spirit by hanging up blue and gold during homecoming, decorating the forum with invitations to join clubs, and sporting event notifications, just to name a few. We want the forum to feel more like it belongs to the students and feels more like a university instead of a stuffy conference center. We are proud to go to BVU, but why can’t one of the most trafficked areas on campus look like a typical university? Shouldn’t the students come first? After all, that’s why BVU exists.
After getting all of our opinions and suggestions out in the open, the architects let us see a preliminary sketch of what the forum may look like with some renovation. Immediately when we saw the sketch, gasps and words of approval filled the room. Their sketch included moving health services to the forum (finally), shifting all conferencing to be in one space, and centralizing student affairs offices.
The team has a myriad of other fantastic ideas about the tentative forum renovation, but I think they have a great overall idea for the future of the forum. BVU finally listened to students and I believe we’re on our way to a more student-oriented space. I can’t wait to come back to see the gradual changes happening to the school I love. I wish I could stay at BVU forever.
