Taggart Student Center to see changes

Utah State University Student Association student events Vice President Cooper Low said students should prepare for a few approaching changes at the Taggart Student Center, including construction to the auditorium on the second floor and a change of rooms for the Veterans Resource Office.

The auditorium is going to be leveled out, so there is no more seating, according to Low. “It will almost be like a mini ballroom,” Low said. This leveling is being done to house the Latinx Cultural Center, which is currently on the second floor of the Merrill-Cazier Library. 

TSC director Ray Cheatham said space will be created for the Latinx Cultural Center where the stage is in the auditorium. According to Cheatham, the rest of the space will become a welcome center to bring potential students in for a tour. “We want to get students excited about being Aggies,” Cheatham said. 

“Ultimately, the university’s goal is to provide a good experience for the students,” according to Cheatham. “As administration puts forth a vision of how that would be, I’m fully supportive of it.”

“We don’t know exactly when the change will be, but hopefully it’ll be next year,” Latinx Cultural Center coordinator of programs Pam Allcott said. “It’ll be great for our center to have its own space for people to express themselves.” She said this change will give students and community members better access to the Latinx Cultural Center.

Instead of having the Aggie Math Learning Center on the second floor of the TSC, the Veterans Resource Office will be moving there from its room on the third floor, according to Low. “The room for the Veterans Resource Office right now is small,” Low said. 

Veterans Resource Office veteran peer mentor Mike Nelson said their new room will be a place for veterans and anyone who is using veteran benefits to relax and unwind. “We’re in the broom closet right now,” Nelson said. 

“We’ll have a more inviting place for self-serve coffee,” Nelson continued. “We’ll also have a private office for veterans to talk on Telehealth Portal with their doctor or therapist.” According to Nelson, the change of rooms will most likely take place at the beginning of next year.

“This gives us an opportunity for more space to create a larger veterans community on campus,” Veterans Resource Office veteran peer mentor Erin Alexander said. “There really isn’t any space to have meetings to deal with private matters.”

The Aggie Math Learning Center will be moved to another building, according to Cheatham. 

USU graduate student Erica Hurst said the learning center will be moved to the USU Animal Science Building. “This change should make it easier for students, tutors, recitation leaders and faculty because all of the math classes will be in the same building,” Hurst said.

There was also a rumor that the TSC policies were being updated. Although the policies of the TSC aren’t being changed now, they’ll be examined in the near future with USU’s Event Services, according to Low. As the chair of the TSC Policy Board, Low said he is “going to keep students in mind” while looking into these policies. 

“I hope we can work together to keep students’ voices the focal point of the Student Involvement and Leadership Center,” Low said. According to Low, the center is working for the best interest of students.