The Kennesaw State Student Government Association hosted a town hall workshop in the Social Sciences building Friday, Sept. 20, open to all students to discuss the recent rumors regarding the potential reconstruction of the Carmichael Student Center.
SGA’s Director of Internal Affairs Ashley Hale stated that the goal of the workshop was to “provide a constructive means of establishing what students want to be done with these spaces” as well as “to provide clarity on the details of the subject.”
Over the past few weeks, there have been increasing concerns that the rooms provided to the Global Village, Adult and Commuter Affairs Center, Cultural Awareness Resources Center and Student Leadership Service on the second floor of the Carmichael Student Center could soon be remodeled into a general use area.
These rumored renovations left many students, whose clubs are currently housed on the second floor of the Carmichael Student Center, questioning what would happen with their existing space.
As a response to the rumors, SGA set up the town hall to address the matter.
SGA’s Director of Communication Jessica Watkins opened the workshop with the claim that “KSU administration has no plans to remodel any section of the Carmichael Student Center’s second-floor spaces.”
Once the workshop reached its open floor section, Watkins’ statement was supported by KSU Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Sylvia Carey-Butler, who wished to ensure clarity that the original focus group regarding a remodel was not intended to signify any impending changes.
After addressing the rebuttal to the circulating rumors, SGA shifted the event’s focus toward collecting public opinion regarding what students would be likely to support, should any changes be considered in the future.
Of the students who spoke up during the meeting, the majority agreed that each office needs to remain physically separate from each other due to the different groups of students that each center focuses on.
Additionally, students noted that they would generally support ideas on updating their spaces, but provided little insight into what type of updates they would want to take place.
“[SGA has] as much power as the students allow [SGA] to have as an organization,” SGA Vice President Tariq Bradford said. “The more the student body reaches out to us with their questions and concerns, then the more we can get done.”
Tariq added that SGA holds general body meetings every other week, with the next meeting scheduled on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The SGA meets at their room on the second floor of the student center in room 213.
While SGA President Samuel Brand could not be in attendance of the workshop, he stated via email that SGA’s doors are always open to students.
