Free space to be opened as Gallagher bookstore moves out

By: Lydia Rogers

There will be an opening of floor space in the Gallagher Student Center (GSC) bookstore next year due to the construction of the University Station.

It has been confirmed that the apparel section of the bookstore will be moved to a space in University Station.

There has been no decision about the book section changing locations and therefore no definite plans for how the bookstore’s space will be used in the future.

“Moving the apparel part of the bookstore is beneficial for Xavier for two reasons,” Student Government Association President Drew Dziedzic said. “First, it will anchor our new development and show our commitment to this project. Second, space is a hot commodity on campus, so anytime we are able to free up some space and put in things that benefit the Xavier community is great.”

Because the plans for the space have not yet been finalized, a number of student groups have submitted proposals advocating their use of the space.

The student improv group, Don’t Tell Anna, has submitted a detailed proposal on behalf of all student performance groups.

“The proposal I submitted outlines possibilities for the entirety of the existing bookstore space,” Senior Director for the Division of Student Affairs Leah Busam said. “We are proposing alternative uses that are more essential to the student experience.”

By Lydia Rogers

Staff Writer

The proposal highlighted a point that, since the new plans for Alter Hall have been under discussion, there has been a restriction on the space available for groups to reserve.

There are also a number of expense and scheduling limitations that make it difficult to reserve space in other campus buildings, such as Cintas Center’s banquet rooms or the Conaton Learning Commons Kennedy Auditorium.

The new space will open a number of doors for GSC’s new design.

“The GSC is the hub of student life,” Student Affairs Associate Provost Dave Johnson said. “[It] helps students make Xavier their home, it fosters learning and it facilitates relationships between students, staff and faculty.

“The goal of the space planning process is to develop a plan from many different ideas, that enables us to do these things even more effectively,” Johnson said.