The New Place Is Your Space

By Broadside Asst. News Editor Rebecca Fulton
Photo by Josh Griset

New construction on campus has opened a space for students to decide what they want. A committee, including representatives from Student Government, Mason Ambassadors and Program Board, along with Benn Crandall from University Services, have been meeting to organize and brainstorm the technicalities of making such a space.

The campaign, known as YourSpace, is planning to announce the final decision for the purpose of the building on Mason Day this spring. The actual opening of the building will be during fall 2008, even for the most complicated plans.

“Let’s say it’s a business; the most complicated business would require it to open by mid-fall [‘08],” Crandall said.
According to Crandall, ideas for the space that have already been proposed include a hookah bar, a tanning and nail salon and meeting rooms only for students with electronic game ports, such as a Wii or an X-Box.

In order to find out exactly what students want, the campaign will be sending out surveys through listservs, as well as design a website, e-mail address and a Facebook group. While the campaigning is still in the planning stages, an e-mail address has already been established at yourspace@gmu.edu for suggestions.

One of the main priorities of the committee is to keep this purely a student space. This means that not only is it decided upon by students, but it would also be managed by students.

“That’s the key here; this is going to be run by students. If we determine this is a retail source, it will be managed by a student board, not by the university,” Crandall said. “They will also decide where the profit goes.”

Crandall’s main goal is to make sure that this space is representative of what the student body wants and not what a small minority of the student body wants.

“I worry that the process could be overtaken by a singular group and I have been charged with the task of not letting this happen, and that will be my biggest challenge,” Crandall said.

According to Crandall, the idea for a student run space was brought up at a conference that one of the administrators attended. Conferences are a means for universities to share ideas.

“That’s where you get new ideas and find out what’s successful,” Crandall said.

The space has the possibility of being broken into three separate, smaller spaces that can be used in separate capacities. Features include 12 foot ceilings, as well as windows that are approximately 10 feet tall, and it has a capacity of approximately 70 people. Other than the shell of the building, no defining characteristics are going to be added until the space has a defined purpose.

A poll was taken last year to see what students wanted on campus. The majority of those who were surveyed wanted an on campus automotive store. Crandall is certain that this space could become whatever the students want it to be. Other possibilities that have been considered include a dance club, a salon, a barbershop and a small café.

A few concerns with the space are, if the space involves food preparation, a large portion of it would be taken up, as well as if bathrooms need to be installed. By keeping the area a non-dining area, much more space would be left to design by students.

A concern about having something such as a night club in the new space is that students will be living directly above it, leaving the potential for disruption during the night. Another unsuccessful idea for the space was a hookah bar, which doesn’t meet state standards of health.

One of the most popular ideas within the committee was the idea of having a Mason spirit shop. This would be full of Mason apparel, as well as face paint and other spirit related novelties.

According to Crandall, Mason is spending three-fourths of a billion dollars on construction over the next five years.