Game room opens

In one section, students were playing Super Smash Bros. In another section, students were watching a Humphrey Bogart film.

On the other side, students were doing homework and studying for tests.

The new game room, part of the $3.19 million renovation to the Tyler Haynes Commons, opened April 2. Renovation of the game room began in January.

Although the area is not completely finished, Max Vest, director of student activities, said he had wanted to open the space for the final weeks of school to get feedback from students.

The room was named "Current" by university facilities for its proximity to the Westhampton Lake, water and wave themes, and its state-of-the-art-technology, Vest said.

Current has eight flat screen monitors, two Nintendo Wiis, two X-Box 360s and two Playstation 3s. Five of the eight TVs have gaming units. Additionally, the space has couches and seating areas where students can work and watch TV.

Most students who have visited had positive feedback for the area.

"I like the general atmosphere," junior Tiara Davis said. "It's fun, but there's also a nice laid-back vibe to the place."

Zack Lake, a junior, and Haddis Tujuba, a sophomore, were watching a movie for their psychology class.

"It's pretty cool that we have this now," Lake said. "This will definitely be a selling point for tour groups [of prospective students]."

Tujuba said he could not wait to start watching Monday Night Football on one of the monitors when the National Football League season starts in the fall.

Junior Max Teschke said he liked the futuristic look of the room.

"It's very cutting-edge and European," Teschke said.

But other students were critical of the carpet and color scheme. One student, who did not wish to be named, said the carpet and design were tacky.

University facilities designed the renovation in-house in conjunction with H.L. Reed Design Inc. They proposed a few different designs, one of which was ultimately chosen by students, said Steve Bisese, vice president for student development.

Anise Burkholder, a freshman, said she loved the color scheme and design of the room. She and Isela Melendez, also a freshman, have done most of their work and eaten most of their meals in Current since it opened, Burkholder said.

Vest and Bisese said they were concerned about the noise level for students that wished to study. But Burkholder and Melendez said they did not mind the noise. In fact, the background chatter of students playing video games and watching movies made the atmosphere more comfortable and cozy, Burkholder said.

Bisese said there was a good mixture of work and play.

"It's loud and social, fun and interactive, yet also relaxing and allows you to study," Bisese said. "I am amazed that you can do so many different things there."

He added that the upstairs area of the Commons, across from the student activities front desk, would serve as a study area.

Facilities purposely did not install high sound systems because the noise would be distracting to the surrounding offices and rooms in the Commons, such as the Alice Haynes room, Vest said.

But Vest said he understood students' desire for loud surround-sound TVs. The booth-like setup for some of the monitors and gaming system areas helps preserve the sound, he said.

"Quite frankly, we have two weeks left," Vest said, "and we will see how things work, address and fix issues over the summer and be ready for the fall."

Vest and Bisese expressed a few other concerns for the room, such as loss or theft of controllers, games and movies.

But Sarah Vonderbrink, a junior who works at the student activities front desk, said there had been no thefts or losses after a week or so. If students wish to play a game or watch a movie, they have to give in their Spidercards to rent out controllers, games or movies, she said.

"The challenge is keeping track of all equipment," Vest said. "How do we limit how much time people have on games? We will have to work that out and make it fair."

Bisese said he wanted to make sure all students got a chance to use the monitors and play games. If need be, Student

Activities might have to establish a time limit for game and monitor use, he said.

Student Activities have mandated a one-hour time limit, said Doug Paolillo, a sophomore who works at the front desk. But if there is no backup for games and controllers, there is no time limit, he said.

Vest also addressed the issue of movie and game content. Although there have been no complaints yet, sensitivity issues may arise concerning blood and gore with movies and video games, he said.

The room is not completely finished, Bisese said. Vest said facilities would soon be adding a foosball table and pool table.

In addition to Current, the new Commons will include more storage and a nicer look, other components that student focus groups had ranked as most important.

Planning for renovation began in 2007, when the leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa identified the Commons as the biggest concern for President Edward Ayers in its White Paper, a document the group gave to Ayers outlining goals members wanted Ayers to accomplish as new president.

Renovation of the Commons began in June on the third floor with the Career Development Center, which opened in October.

The renovation will be complete after the bookstore and staircase renovations are finished.

Contact staff writer Nick Mider at nick.mider@richmond.edu