Tucked away in the basement of the Usdan University Center, the game room has been one of the building’s best-kept secrets. Though it features table tennis, foosball, billiards tables and two couches, the room has attracted only a few students on a regular basis.
“I think a lot of people don’t know it’s here,” said David Kishpaugh ’11. “I say ’I’m going to play pool’ and people don’t know where it is.”
Student and administration theories vary, though they frequently focus on the surrounding basement’s institutional-style furnishings, which some say remind them of a hospital. Others note how remote the room is in relation to the more popular first floor lounge. Additionally, access to the game room requires using either an elevator or a stairwell accessed through a somewhat nondescript door.
Rick Culliton, University Center Director and Dean of Campus Programs, explained the thinking behind the room’s placement.
“The game room and multi-purpose room were located in the student corridor in the basement near the music rehearsal room and the post office window because it was believed that there would be considerable student traffic through that area,” Culliton said in an e-mail.
However, the traffic in this area has been lower than expected, and almost all of it has been related to package pickups. Some say that students are not likely to congregate there the way they do in areas upstairs, since the area has very little open space, no tables and no place to sit.
“I honestly don’t think it was a very good place to put it,” said Usdan Center manager Noel Flores ’10.
Other indicated that the very location of the campus center may contribute to the room’s low traffic.
“It’s in Usdan, opposed to the dorms,” said James Wampler ’11. “It’s far away.”
Despite these issues, the game room has seemingly begun to grow in popularity, especially throughout this semester. Students’ requests for pool cues or table tennis paddles at the front desk provide an indicator of the room’s increased usage.
“People come in about every half hour to an hour,” Flores said, “I think it has to do a lot with word of mouth. People didn’t come in at first.”
Efforts to improve the space aesthetically may also be contributing to the recent surge in popularity.
“Based on input during the fall semester, we had both rooms painted over the break to bring more color into the spaces, and added some other furniture,” Culliton said.
Flores agreed, adding that the improved interior design has made the space more appealing and less remote.
“I think [the increased traffic] has to do with the new paint job,” he said. “It seems more homely, more inviting to people passing by.”
Culliton indicated that further efforts to make the game room a more social, welcoming area for students are in the works.
“Several students had expressed interest to paint a mural, which we are still hoping will happen,” Culliton said.
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