DIGS inclusion may benefit CSA

By TJ staff

Illustration by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@thejohnsonian.com

We have a new center of gravity here at Winthrop.  

The DiGiorgio Campus Center can be your one stop shop for almost everything you need to do on campus—except for going to class.  

The pool tables, the food options, the comfortable chairs, the computer kiosks and TVs—it’s a haven for students, especially students who can’t conveniently go to their residence hall to enjoy these types of amenities.  

Why then does the Commuter Student Association (CSA) have an office in Dinkins, the old student center?  

In some ways it makes sense. The bulk of their parking is there still and office space in Dinkins was easier to obtain than in the new campus center.  

But, The Johnsonian thinks this could have an adverse affect on fostering a community spirit in Winthrop commuter students.  

If the majority of students, faculty and staff are spending their free time at Starbucks and playing foosball, what kind of connection are the commuter students making with the campus by hanging out in Dinkins?  

Clearly commuters aren’t barred from the new campus center just because their office is in Dinkins.  But what kind of message does it send to prospective students who plan to commute when they don’t see a dedicated place for them in the heart of campus?  

Frank Ardaiolo, vice president of student life, makes a good point about the limited space in the campus center for student organizations to have their own office.  To accommodate the most people at one time as possible, The DiGiorgio Campus Center offers 48 lockers for student organizations to apply for and use for storage.  

Space is available on the second floor for meetings by reservation and on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Any club or organization can make use of this space.

But, we think there’s a difference between space being available for commuters and space being dedicated for commuters.  

Dinkins is currently housing University College, the Academic Success Center and the Social Behavior Research Lab.  Soon, the International Center will move from Tillman to Dinkins, Ardaiolo said.  

And, he said, an express store similar to the one that was once in the West Center lounge will be placed in Dinkins at some point.

Even as Dinkins re-creates itself and finds new uses for its space, the new campus center is the appropriate place for a group that represents a large section of students such as the Commuter Student Association.