In the last few weeks, the Busch Student Center, and some of the
new services contained within it, have drawn criticism from
students, which has spurred the Student Government Association to
take action.

Among the major issues are mail service, posting policies and
meeting spaces for student organizations within the new building.
International Student Federation Senator Joel Samuels, also
mentioned food service hours, the BSC’s hours of operation and use
of student offices as other issues SGA members will be
addressing.

SGA President Nick Sarcone said he is looking to form “a
committee to investigate and oversee problems students are having
with the BSC and oversee remedies and solutions to those
problems.”

“I know things are getting done (within the SGA),” Sarcone said.
“I’ve been relatively unsuccessful with the administration but I
have not taken an aggressive approach. That may change here within
a week.”

He said any project like the opening of a new student union is a
task that requires some time.

“But we’re in week three now, so that grace period is quickly
running out,” Sarcone noted.

Many of the complaints about the BSC’s new services focus on
INDOX, which is responsible for fulfilling all of Saint Louis
University’s mailing needs.

Arts and Sciences Senator Vince Giacabazi raised the issue last
week, saying that “the current mail system still needs lots of
help.”

Since then, Sarcone has taken up the issue with Vice President
of Student Development Kathy Humphrey, who, according to Giacabazi,
agreed, “INDOX was not up to the standards she would like.”

Some possibilities for improvement that Humphrey and Sarcone
have considered include increasing INDOX’s staff and developing new
methods of sorting and prioritizing mail.

Sarcone said that INDOX has been dealing with start-up problems
and, “We’re going to give them a little while longer because it’s a
brand-new thing.”

The BSC has also introduced issues regarding the use of student
space and long-standing problems with Events Services.

“There have been numerous complications for student
organizations trying to get space on campus,” Samuels said as
senators passed the gavel at the end of last night’s SGA
meeting.

A senate resolution that Samuels will introduce next week states
that in the past, Events Services has double-booked spaces and
cancelled spaces without notifying student groups.

“It’s important to hash out this policy because (with the BSC)
we now have many more rooms (in which events) can be scheduled,”
Samuels said.

Separate from qualms with Events is the rising issue of study
space and late-night space in the BSC.

Samuels said that he is working with Humphrey to try to open the
Marketplace as study area “so there’s one, large, central place
that’s the hangout, as in the old student center.”

“We were told when it was unveiled that the BSC would be a
24-hour space,” Samuels said. “It’s time to take back the student
center. It’s becoming more of a conference center than a student
union.”

The SGA has already resolved some minor BSC-related
problems.

Last night it passed a resolution to allow for more locations at
which on-campus groups can post flyers, the only one currently
being near the mailboxes on the lower level.

Senator Jim Sarcone also announced last night that he has taken
up the issue of student groups advertising on TVs in the BSC and,
“We will hopefully have a policy in the next few weeks.”