Texas A&M University has been in existence since 1876 in College Station, Texas. This university has been home to many different things including a history of tradition, a cute dog mascot, and numerous former students who have gone on to better their lives and our country. One characteristic of Texas A&M that I think cannot be overlooked is the custom of strong student body unity. A&M tackles different obstacles as a university. From winning a national championship in different sports to rebuilding the student moral after a tragic event like the bonfire collapse, Texas A&M comes out on the other side with a stronger sense of unity. This can be seen visually in such things as the buildings on the Texas A&M campus. Recently the main building on the campus, the Memorial Student Center, was put under construction tearing away a spot for the students and visitors to congregate. However, on Saturday April 21, 2012 the MSC was reopened after three years of construction. I was able to make the trip down to see the unveiling of this iconic building on campus.
The Memorial Student Center (MSC) was first opened on April 21, 1951 to an excited student body who was intrigued by this new building that would eventually become the center for student activity. After fifty-eight years, the building was in need of a major renovation. One big problem that needed to be resolved was the presence of asbestos in the Flag Room, the main room for student lounging, studying, and resting. This needed to be addressed for the safety of the student's health. However, this room was one of the most symbolic rooms of the MSC and the university. For this reason much of the student body and former students were concerned about the character of the room being drastically changed during the construction. The health concern took precedence, so the construction company promised the university that after the asbestos was eradicated, no major changes would be made to the Flag Room.
The controversy that this room made brought to light how resistant the students and formers would be to any major changes to the building. Because of this, informational sessions were created so that any people with concerns or questions could ask the builders and raise attention to the school administrators. I went to a couple of these with one of my friends and felt more confident in the process afterwards. I was not by any means happy that the MSC would be taken away from me during my last two years of college, but I was at least more aware about what changes were being made and why.
The main purpose of construction plans, besides removing the asbestos in the Flag Room, was to replace the existing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in the MSC and to provide universal accessibility for all by complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This included incorporating brand new furniture and seating areas as well as brand new, easily accessible elevator systems. The construction and remodeling also sought to create a more welcoming space for students to congregate, reinstate the MSC as a campus gathering place, and reflect the MSC as a portal to the university by promoting the school's tradition and history. This meant that not only would the couches and food services be updated, but a state of the art entertainment gallery would be included in the bottom floor with new televisions and pool tables. Additionally, the Choral Office was expanded to double its size so that the choirs of the university would be able to grow and function easier than before. Another improvement that was made was that the ballroom upstairs was expanded and is now the largest ballroom in the Brazos County. This will serves as a excellent place to have the future ring dances and any other large gatherings.
In the end, the renovation of the MSC brought about excellent features to this school of tradition. The only critique I can think of is that all of the new students who will gather in this new addition to the university will never know or appreciate what they were given. The new students will never know about the bowling alley that used to be in the basement of the MSC. They will never know about the old vintage wall coverings that gave character to the building. The new students will never know about what the MSC used to be and I think that it will lessen some of the appreciation. I wish some one had made a before and after collection of pictures so the students could compare what they have with what used to be. This would have created a greater amount of thankfulness for the new building they were given. Maybe there will still be gratitude from the student body after more time is spent in this new arena of unity.
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