By Derek Hawkins

As the first summer semester comes to an end, so will the first phase of a sweeping space reallocation in the Curry Student Center (CSC).

Designed to accommodate incoming student groups and new administrative offices, the project will involve a reshuffling of the offices of most of the 40 student groups currently located in CSC and has generated mixed feelings among some student leaders.

The reallocation, which will bring 21 additional student group offices into CSC, is slated to be completed by Sept. 1.

The project comes after the controversial relocation of 13 student groups from the second-floor of the CSC to the fourth-floor in October after Student Government Association Vice President for Student Services, Susan Dye, approved it.

“This process has been going on for almost a year, and what we’ve done is look at the best way to bring efficiency to the building,” CSC Operations Director Bob Grier said. “We have a lot of benchmarks to meet, but the outcome will be beneficial.”

A key component of the reallocation project will be the consolidation of several student programming and advising offices, including the Campus Activities, Scheduling, Business and Leadership and Engagement offices, into a single suite.

The suite, which Grier and others involved in the reallocation have called the “one-stop-shop,” will occupy room 434, where The News is currently located.

The News will begin moving to room 232 starting this week. The reallocation represents a loss of more than one-half of the newspaper’s current production space.

The first of a series of relocations to accommodate the suite occurred in October 2006, when thirteen student groups were forced to move their offices from room 232 to the narrow, windowless space in room 420. Of those groups, many condemned the move, saying they hadn’t been given adequate notice.

Beginning Friday, groups with desks in room 420 will move to room 240, where they will receive new desks and storage space.

Renovations for the “one-stop-shop” will also begin Friday, as The News and other groups on the fourth floor begin the first wave of a phased move into new offices.

Marina Iannalfo, dean of campus Life, said the concept for the suite was modeled after the Residential Life office, which was created in 2004 to bring all university housing services into one complex.

“We’ve created a one-stop center for students to get things done in one place, rather than going floor to floor,” she said. “It will bring lots of life to the fourth floor, and fully utilize all the floors in Curry.”

More general renovations and reorganizations will take place in other parts of CSC and will include: