The new student center, to be named the Sam Rayburn Student Center, is now slated to open Dec. 1 of this semester.
Construction crews are just now putting on the finishing touches to a building that has the potential of becoming the next campus hot spot. It will contain many services currently available in the Memorial Student Center, as well as new additions.
“S&P (the Contractors) have stayed on target with construction, working around a very rainy season last year, but finishing out well,” Rick Miller, director of the Memorial Student Center said.
The new Sam Rayburn Student Center will contain, among other amenities, a new and more adequately equipped cafeteria. It is intended to seem more like a food court, holding and Einstein Bros Bagels, as well as international foods.
There will also be a digital graphics and copying center. Here, students can create posters, flyers, and banners to help get information out to the student community or finish a class project.
In addition, the new student center will hold a student hang out area called “The Club.” According to Miller, this place will be just as it sounds, holding pool tables, electronic gaming areas and 16 42-inch television monitors.
“It gives them (students) work space as well as play space,” Miller said.
About 70 percent of the new student center was funded by student fees. Miller said that this was a good example of students giving back to their university.
Although the post office will remain, some parts of the current Memorial Student Center will be torn down.