Marquette Student Government is considering a renovation of Brooks Lounge to make the space more aesthetically inviting while accommodating the lack of available meeting space on campus.
The renovation would support student organization meetings and fundraising events by providing improved seating, a stage with an open mic and the ability to sell food.
Meredith Gillespie, a MUSG senator and a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, said Brooks Lounge is an underutilized space with potential.
“What I’ve told my committee and what we’re trying to get after is, there is a bar part in the Brooks Lounge and so we wanted to reopen it for several hours … and possibly sell smoothies or snacks or something, and maybe have an open mic kinda thing going on,” Gillespie said.
To gauge if and how the space would be used, Gillespie sent an email to all student organizations March 4. Since then, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Debate & Speech, Sign-Language Club, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Colleges Against Cancer voiced their support.
Gillespie said fundraising efforts would mutually support Brooks Lounge and student organizations.
“Student organizations could come in and work the actual bar and then the proceeds that they would make that night would go to the organization for funding,” Gillespie said. “So we wouldn’t have to pay for staff.”
Brittany Peterson, president of Sign-Language Club and a junior in the College of Health Sciences, said Brooks Lounge would promote club growth if it became more inviting.
“Being a new and rather unknown club on campus, Sign-Language Club is always looking for new members,” Peterson said in an email. “The Brooks Lounge has an optimum location and would encourage newcomers to give it a try.”
Despite the excitement for a possible renovation, Triston King, a graduate assistant for student organizations, said the renovation is tentative.
“This is more of an idea which we are currently researching, and it is still feasible that it will not make it past the preliminary stages of planning,” King said in an email.
Before renovations can occur, MUSG will have to assess The Master Planning Committee’s report given March 10. MPC would fund renovations for Brooks Lounge in their initial goal for the space lined with the proposal. Otherwise, funding would most likely come from the reserve fund.
In addition, MUSG also has to meet with Alumni Memorial Union Director, Neal Wucherer, to discuss whether selling food in Brooks Lounge is feasible.
Despite the renovations being uncertain, Gillespie is hopeful about the prospect of change.
“It would be cool if it happened,” Gillespie said. “I want it to happen.”
Meredith Gillespie is a photographer for the Marquette Wire.
