BY NATHAN BROWN
Conestoga students had the chance to grab a cup of coffee and have their voice heard at the same time, thanks to Conestoga Students Inc.’s recent Coffee Date in the Sanctuary.
CSI provided coffee and doughnuts for those who attended the first meeting, which they hoped would become a regular event. However, only three students showed up. Two of CSI’s board of directors were on hand to talk with students.
“We want to hear and know the students’ concerns,” said Colin Gaudet, one of CSI’s board of directors.
Students raised quite a few concerns, including questions about Conestoga’s rec centre.
One interesting question came from Conestoga’s DJ Club president Paul Kelly.
“I wanted to know if the club would be able to perform for any events CSI hosts,” Kelly said. “We want to get some exposure and I want to know if CSI can help.”
Students’ concerns received positive feedback from the CSI members, prompting discussion from other students.
An issue brought up by more than a few students was one regarding longer pub days and possibly bringing a pub to the upstairs gaming area above the Sanctuary.
“The problem regarding that is that we can’t license the stairwells,” said Katie Turriff, another member of CSI’s board of directors. “It’d be great to have the extra space (where alcohol could be served).”
“The gaming room is already licensed,” Turriff said. “It all comes back to the stairwells getting licensed.”
Currently the CSI-hosted Pub Days are only held in the main Sanctuary area. The maximum capacity for the room is 273 people, making it hard for Conestoga’s roughly 10,000-plus full-time students to all get a drink.
Another question asked was if the pub also included the gaming room, where would the expensive gaming consoles and TVs be moved?
“There are places where they can be put away and locked up,” said Jeff Black, a business administration management student at the college who takes advantage of all the gaming room has to offer.
Having the gaming room accessible on pub days would enable roughly another 170 students to take part in the Pub Days.
CSI officials emphasized that even if some concerns were not heard during the Coffee Date that students can write proposals anytime to CSI and have their concerns heard.
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