Commuter Lounges Open on Campus

Photo by Patrick Bradley

On Wednesday, January 18th, university officials cut ribbon on a very useful campus addition. 

“Transfer students, who mostly live off campus, need a better sense of place here on campus,” explained Vice President of Campus Life Dr. Gail Hanson. “Since that isn’t going to be in the residence halls for them, it needs to be somewhere else. They suggested that a lounge where they could store their belongings during the day, study, socialize, and meet each other would be the ideal thing.”

Dr. Hanson stood alongside University Librarian Bill Mayer, while Scott Jones, director of operations for the University Center and project manager for this addition, cut the ceremonial blue ribbon on the newly finished Commuter Lounge.

The Lounge - located just inside the East Quad Building's front entrance - offers commuter and transfer students 72 digital day lockers, charging stations for computers and phones, and plenty of comfortable seating.

When looking for a  location, university administrators and the Transfer Student Association – who together campaigned for the room – found the search a bit difficult, as the university sought to accommodate a large number of incoming faculty members.

In the end, however, Dr. Hanson feels they found the right spot.

“Space is challenging here at AU,” Dr. Hanson shared, “but this space was a little bit special because it had a tradition as the Davenport lounge and was built in a different way.”

The room was originally constructed as the Davenport Chapel, back when weekly chapel attendance was mandatory for students. The space later served as the Davenport Lounge – now the Dav Coffee Lounge in the School of International Service – but the archway supports, wood paneling in the ceiling, and raised floor level still reveal the room’s first function.

As with many good things, there was another hurdle in landing the Lounge – a hurdle that spawned an entirely separate space on campus.

“There was one other stumbling block in this process. This fabulous space is not physically accessible,” Dr. Hanson said. “If we’re going to create a facility for general student use, it’s got to be one that’s accessible to everybody, including people who have mobility limitations.”

To address that issue, Bill Mayer and the library offered a companion space next to the Mud Box in the building’s sublevel. Dubbed the Commuter Corner, this location provides lockers and comfortable seating – all accessible through the library’s elevators.

Hanson believes “everybody – no matter how they get around the university, has a place to go that’s a comfortable lounge and has lockers for their use.”

The Commuter Lounge and its lockers are open to students Monday through Friday 6am to 11pm, Saturday 8am to 8pm, and Sunday 8am to 8:30pm. The Commuter Corner will follow library hours.