In response to student organizations’ request for an additional space to hold events, Oswego State administration has arranged for The Space to be created.
The Space, which has just finished the construction that began last spring semester, is situated underneath Swetman Gymnasium in the Marano Campus Center. Once completed, it will be made available for student organizations to host meetings, events, dinners, talks, performances and other possibilities, according to Jerri Howland, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.
Howland said students addressed administration over a year ago looking for more available space for activities. They decided to take the old locker rooms under Swetman, which were being used for storage, and transform it into The Space, named by students.
“The Space is what we call a ‘coffee house’ space,” Howland said.
The room could not be completely changed during construction due to its pillars, so that decreased some of its possible functions. However, the coffee house space will include green rooms for musicians to relax when they are not performing, four gender-inclusive bathrooms and space for around 100 people for a large dinner or an open mic night, according to Howland.
Howland said although construction is completed, they need to wait for CTS to finish the technology requirements for the room. After the room itself is completed, the next phase is to do some landscaping outside The Space for barbeques or picnics.
“The goal is to spend the summer getting all the procedures and policy [ready] and moving all the furniture and all those things in there because construction is done,” Howland said. “The physical space is there, and I think, most importantly, it’s time for us to showcase it to the campus.”
Howland said they plan to host an open house once The Space is completed in a few weeks for student organizations to envision how they can use the space in the fall semester.
The official max capacity will not be known until the fire marshal determines it, but Howland said she believes it should be between 100 and 125 people.
“It’s pretty big, but not something for two to 300 people,” Howland said. “It’s not as big as, say, Sheldon or Hewitt, but it is slightly bigger than Lake Effect Cafe.”
Howland said she believes The Space will allow for organizations to have another option for events, which would free up more areas on campus for events at the same time.
“We have over 214 organizations on campus but lack student meeting and programming space to accommodate many of the needs of these groups,” said Director of Campus Life Dan Roberts. “The Space is the first step in giving our student population programming venues that meet their needs.”
Shanelle Cox, vice president and reservations coordinator for Vocal Effect, said the show choir rehearses in Lanigan 101 and performs for Family and Friends Weekend there because there is enough space since they do not dance during that performance.
For their big show at the end of the spring semester, they will be in the Sheldon Ballroom, where they have enough space to dance around. It was held there last year as well, but in years past, VE had to go to an off-campus venue because every space accommodating room for dancing was taken by another organization.
“When we are looking for a space to perform, we make sure that the acoustics of the space are great as well as if there is enough space for 20 plus people to be on the stage at the same time,” Cox said. “We also want to make sure that it is accessible to everyone that would like to attend.”
The Space can be accessed by an elevator that goes below Swetman and outside doors as well, according to Howland.
“I have been a campus programmer pretty much my whole career, and The Space is one of the most versatile and intimate venues I have had a chance to work with,” Roberts said. “I am really excited to see what our students will do with this great new venue.”
Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian
