University to undergo campus renovations this semester

Undergraduate Student Government passed a resolution to begin renovations and update menu items at Moreton Fig.

Last semester, USG introduced some potential campus improvements, including renovating Moreton Fig and installing of water-refill stations around campus.

A meeting with Associate Director of special events, sales and marketing Erika Chesley led to the formation of a team of 40 to 50 delegates, which mainly consisted of freshmen. The team was created to specifically address campus improvement. Beginning fall 2014, the team and USG collaborated to create a proposal that outlined potential improvements.

Jordan Fowler, current USG director of university affairs and vice-president elect for the 2015-2016 school year, has been leading projects related to campus improvements.

“One of our ideas was to talk to hospitality about Moreton Fig and how we can increase its visibility,” Fowler said. “Most importantly, we want to make it as successful as we think it can be.”

Fowler said a student proposed an idea to initiate changes to the menu to guarantee faster service.

“One student proposed a happy hour menu and other students said that there needed to be a way to guarantee in and out between classes,” Fowler said.

Fowler said Chesley was very understanding and excited to pursue the proposed ideas. Moreton Fig is currently working on the renovations, which includes a more student-friendly menu in terms of affordability.

“You can have a nice sit-down lunch and you’ll be able to make it to you next class,” said Hassaan Ebrahim, USG chief of staff. “They’ll be changing and rearranging some of the furniture on the patio and releasing the new menu around spring break, which is great, because that’ll give students a new option which is more affordable than it was before.”

In the proposal to Director of hospitality Eric Johnson, USG created an ideal sample menu with finger foods that are catered toward faster dining. The changes to the patio layout and menu at Moreton Fig are scheduled for completion after spring break.

Additionally, USG is currently working on another campus renovation to install new water bottle refilling stations around campus.

Fowler explained that students are more encouraged to bring their own sustainable water bottles if they have a simpler way of filling them up.

“One of our senators came up with the idea of water bottle refilling stations,” Fowler said. “Since there are amazing refilling stations in the residential dorms on campus we thought it made sense to have more of those around campus. It works with the motto of being a more sustainable and being more eco-friendly campus.”

USC facilities are planning on installing nine automatic water-refill stations around campus in the next several weeks.

Fowler said this project also inspired potential changes with USG university affairs itself. She explained that USG university affairs specializes in the categories of hospitality, housing, and transportation.

After speaking with the director of operations within Facilities Management Services at USC, Fowler sent about 20 students to every location on campus where they would like to see a water bottle refilling station.

“I remember it was one of the hottest days of last fall and they all ran around campus, took pictures of where they would want the station and wrote a little description about why it would benefit students to place it there,” Fowler said.

Fowler said that she is still in the process of drafting new proposals for the remainder of this semester and next year.

“One of the projects that I want to do is to have a competition between all of the dorms and the different floors within residential halls,” Fowler said. “I know a dorm has already done it and they said it was super fun and successful.”