A&M-Commerce will start moving the on-site print shop to the old Memorial Student Center Bookstore towards the end of the semester, and administration offices will take the occupancy of the print shop building.
The print shop is located at the far end of campus behind the Journalism Building. There are three pressmen and one person to run composition, who currently prints brochures, newsletters, pamphlets, literary magazines, The East Texan and other documents for the university.
According to Mary Hendrix, Vice President of Student Access and Success, administration feels they are trying to address complaints from student surveys that students get the “run around” when they attempt to have questions answered, and will address students’ needs.
Computer major, Paige DeFelice says she is looking forward to having things in one place for students.
“It will be extremely beneficial,” DeFelice said. “From personal experience of not knowing where to go or what to do I can sympathize with other students who have been getting the run-around.”
However, not all students feel the same.
“It’s a good idea to put it in one place but the print shop is so far away and secluded,” Sarah Evans, freshmen music major said. “The central point of the campus is at the front and it is the most welcoming part to bring everybody to one area with the student center and everything else right there.”
According to Hendrix, various university committees have recommended a one-stop shop for student services. Several functions will be brought to the one-stop shop/student access and success center in the print shop.
Currently many offices are divided in the Business Administration Building where admissions, registrar, financial aid, scholarships, orientation, career services and student assessment will be combined in the print shop after the transition.
The print shop has a large operating space that exceeds the state’s space allocation for academic purposes according to Hendrix.
“The space will be better utilized for the administration office,” Rex Giddens, assistant vice president of Business and Comptroller said.
Giddens oversees the print shop as well.
“It takes a lot to maintain a print shop nowadays,” Giddens said. “There are other shops that have moved to digital and now can go out to shops that can handle larger amount of prints per day and will be able to do a better job.”
The move will take place as soon as possible as on-going preparations are taking place.
“We need to look at the floors to see if it can handle the type of equipment,” Giddens said. “We are trying to become more efficient and keep as much equipment that we can.”
The web press that prints The East Texan was given to A&M-Commerce by Texas A&M University-College Station after they no longer needed or wanted the equipment.
“In the past the newspaper has been contracted out to others and can be done again. If we have to move the press one more time we may not be able to get it running again,” Giddens said.