Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Healy Pub Backers Refocus on Student Center

While University President John J. DeGioia and other top administrators formally cut the cord on the Healy Pub proposal Monday, they reassured student leaders in a meeting that their push for more social space and a greater student presence in Healy Hall could come to fruition over time.

In a long-awaited meeting of university leadership and the Healy Pub task force, the students pressed to have a say in the future of the New South Student Center pub area as well as added student space in Healy Hall. According to Georgetown University Student Association Deputy Chief of Staff and Healy Pub Student Space Working Group Leader Chris Pigott (COL ’12), the group of administrators has already warmed up to the idea.

Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson and DeGioia each told the group that the Healy Pub Student Space Working Group would be considered “significant stakeholders” in planning for the design and functionality of the space, Pigott said. The group hopes to submit a model of its ideas, including its status as a student-run venture with administrative oversight, in the next few months.

“We deserve the ability and the right to present a model where it would work,” Pigott said, citing other universities’ successful student-run pubs.

As for Healy Hall, DeGioia said that he recognizes the need for student space in the iconic building that houses mostly classrooms and administrative offices, according to Fitz Lufkin (COL ’11, GRD ’12), the Healy Pub Project Leader and co-author of the 2010 Report on Student Space.

“They agreed that students have a right to have space in Healy. They recognized the importance of that,” Pigott said.

“They would like to move those offices, but they need a space to move them,” Lufkin added.

In order to address a call for more student-centric space in and around campus’s most prominent building, administrators said they were looking to refurbish the buildings surrounding Dahlgren Quadrangle in order to make the area a center for academic life and mission and ministry.

According to Pigott, once the university builds up enough funding for the revamp, university leaders will make it their next big project along with renovations to Lauinger Library.

Olson, Chief Operating Officer Chris Augostini, Chief of Staff Joseph Ferrara and Vice President for Public Affairs Erik Smulson weighed in on the discussion along with GUSA President Mike Meaney (SFS ’12) and Vice President Greg Laverriere (COL ’12).

GUSA Speaker Adam Talbot (COL ’12) and Chairman of GUSA’s Finance and Appropriations Committee Colton Malkerson (COL ’13) were also in attendance.

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