When you walk around the Ybor campus, it is near impossible not to notice the huge changes taking place around you. Students returning to campus are noticing large parts of buildings blocked off by signs that read “construction” or “keep out”. While it is obvious that something is under construction, there are two overwhelming questions that inevitably slip into the minds of the students who detour past these obstacles on a daily basis. “What is it?” and “How are these changes going to benefit me?” As a fellow curious student, I recently took it upon myself to inquire as to what all these changes are and what the administration has done to help students deal with the temporary inconveniences that have arisen from their implementation.

   The most important site under construction is the library, as it is hard to imagine a school that could exist long without one. When you walk into the library, you’ll notice that a large part of the first floor has been blocked off. What exactly is going to be put there? As it stands, the first floor of the library sitting directly north of the cafe is going to be the new home of Hawk Radio and also the Hawk TV Station, which will be equipped with modern equipment. This will be a glass encased studio, so students walking into the library or grabbing a snack in the cafe, will get a view of what is happening behind the scenes. It also provides a great chance for interaction between students and the student radio services that the school provides.

   This of area, however, will not take up the entire first floor. The rest of the floor space is going to become a tutoring center or a “United Student Success Center”. Students will no longer have to move from building to building trying to find a tutor for the subject they require help in. The Idea is to consolidate all the tutors from the different subject areas into a common area with easy access. This way, a student who needs help in more than one subject can receive it without leaving the area. Also being implemented and designed are private and group tutoring rooms so that a small group of students can be addressed without any distractions, and they will be designed with have access to Smartboard technology.

   The second floor of the Library is also going through a makeover. When you walk into the second floor of the library, you will be greeted by a checkout and information desk located directly north of the stairwell. You will also notice new carpeting has been installed, along with new book shelving. The area will no longer be walled off into sections as was previously the case. The entire floor will have a much more open design allowing for more space. Also, on the second floor will be group study rooms-although as of now it is not known how manywhere groups of students can sign up to have a study session. A computer study area is also among the new additions. This will give students an effective area for research, along with a reference section.

   With all of this underway, there is still one question you may be asking: “All of this sounds great, but when will I be able to access all these improved academic utilities?” A tentative date has been set for the beginning of October 2011, (for parts of the second floor, such as the reference area). Yet, there is still the problem that many students are facing as to where they can find a place to study now. Unfortunately, the only area that is set aside for studying for the first few weeks of classes is the Student Lounge on the first floor of the Faculty Building, as well as the Honors Lounge, also on the first floor of YFAC. Beyond these areas, your best bet will be a reasonably quiet seat outside to accomplish your academic tasks. The administration has cited there is a shortage of space available during construction. Hence, they just can’t seem to find an available room to convert into a temporary study space. Until there is an official re-opening date, students will have to fend for themselves to find an acceptable place to concentrate on their school work.

   Even though it has provided some real inconveniences for students in the short term, if all goes according to plan, we should see some real long term benefits for students that are well worth the wait.