Cal State Long Beach students are visiting the University Student Union less than the national average of student union visits, according to a survey conducted by program management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey.
The average visits per week for CSULB’s USU is 2.1 visits, while the national average is 2.4 visits per week.
Associated Students Inc. contracted Brailsford & Dunlavey and Pfeiffer Partners to create a master plan as part of the needs assessment program, assessing how well the USU meets student needs, according to USU Director Dave Edwards.
According to the October survey results, lunch is the primary attraction for students to visit the USU, with 60 percent of student survey respondents stating they stop by the USU for less than an hour between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
“When you compare this student union to other campuses … we’re in the dead center of [CSULB] and that’s where you want to be,” Edwards said. “It’s the perfect location.”
However, despite the USU’s strategic location, Edwards said the west turnaround, beginning at the pair of escalators beside the University Dining Plaza and ending outside of Brotman Hall, seemingly directs student traffic around the USU.
The results of the survey were presented to the USU Board of Trustees, a subcommittee of ASI, on Dec. 2, where the board will evaluate the full data and form a response and vote on a course of action some time between February and March of 2012, Nettles said.
The USU master plan read that several areas require heavy renovation, including improving visibility of the games area, improving the south courtyard between Elektric Hair and Sbarro, enhancing lounges, meeting areas, adding more power outlets and modernizing several infrastructures.
According to Edwards, the Beach Auditorium, the ballrooms and the dining center’s kitchens have not been renovated since 1970.
Edwards also said the plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning systems are “nearing the end of their lifespan.”
“One way or another, we’re going to have to address that,” Edwards said.
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