Empowering Campus Life:
A Proposal for a Student Center for The City College of New York
The Tools:
LungPin (James) Lien
Ivan Victoria
Brian Tigre
Ambrose Wilkinson
Introduction
The City College of New York, like other commuter universities, struggles to build a strong and robust sense of community for its students. Despite there being a plethora of clubs, events, and mixers around the university, there is no central location where students can engage with one another and build an overarching student identity. City College, therefore, needs a place where students can casually engage with one another, partake in recreational activities, hold events, and study together. We believe that if we can make student life a strong point for City College, prospective students and the educational community will recognize it as an institution that cares about the well being of its students as well as academics. We, the Tools, propose that City College build a student center in place of the Quad to foster greater community for its students which will improve grades, increase engagement and admission, and boost recognition in higher education.
As it stands, City Colleges student life could use a major boost. In a survey conducted by the Tools, students agreed that there is no center in which they can engage with each other on campus. The reality, however, is that City College does offer a student center, which can be found at Wingate. According to our survey, 80.4% of students haven’t visited the center (figure 1). This percentage is alarming because it reflects City College’s poor ability to advertise an area dedicated to improving student life. We surveyed to design a space based on what the students of City College want in a student center. Figure 2 shows that the majority of students wanted a woodworking shop as well as quiet and group study spaces with modern tools such as smart boards, projectors, and computers. Knowing this we got to work implementing these ideas into our proposal.
Figure 1. Survey Results: Frequency of visits to Wingate Hall.
Figure 2. Survey Results: Proposed additions to new student center space.
As an institution of higher learning, it’s City College’s responsibility to foster an environment where students feel inclined to perform well academically. Our goal is to improve the students’ quality of life, which in turn will benefit the university. With our proposed student center, students will be more connected with their institution and will continue to involve themselves with each other and their studies. The authors of Evaluating Students’ Quality of Academic Life, an article from Applied Research in Quality of Life, wrote,
When students have a high quality of academic life, they tend to identify with their own university (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2001) perceiving it as attractive and identifying perfectly with its institutional image (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003). In the view of Sirgy et al. (2007), a high quality of academic life leads to loyalty and the student recommending the institution. (Alves et al., 2016)
A new student center will improve student life as well as attract future students who will add to City College’s future success.
Action Plan
Benny’s Community Center will provide an improved facility for our students to build community within campus. Our proposed facility will be centrally located, replacing the Quad located between Wingate Hall and Baskerville Hall (please see Image 1 in Appendix). This central location will create easy accessibility for all students to enjoy.
The projected dimensions of Benny’s Community Center are 100 feet wide, 175 feet long, and 60 feet high. There will be four floors, each of which will have a total of 17,500 square feet of space to offer a variety of facilities and services. Each floor will also have multi-occupant restrooms for men and women. These bathrooms are aligned on the same vertical axis to help facilitate the construction of sewage systems, improve access to water, and ensure sanitation within the center. Essential safety measures such as sprinklers, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers will be strategically installed along the walls of each floor to ensure the safety of all students.
In keeping with City College’s commitment to inclusivity, we prioritize accessibility for all students through elevator service and spacious walkways, ensuring seamless movement for all throughout the entire center. Furthermore, plumbing, electrical systems, and HVAC systems are meticulously inspected and installed for optimal energy efficiency, creating a comfortable environment for our students to thrive. High speed internet is provided on each floor that is in line with the college’s internet safety requirements to ensure students are able to work safely within the student center.
Each floor will have unique offerings for students. The ground floor will give students a space to dine on various foods and lounge in a comfortable seating area. The second floor will offer a space to relax and engage in recreational activities with other students. The third floor will have tutoring services and emotional services to help students in need. Student government will also be housed on the third floor. Finally, the fourth floor will be the place for study with a plethora of options available.
Ground Floor
The ground floor will invite students to feast on multiple cuisines and lounge in a comfortable space. Through surveying current students of City College it is clear that fast food, desserts, and grab and go foods are in highest demand. Examples of possible vendors include McDonald’s, Chipotle, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Baskin & Robbins. These restaurants will have permanent locations in the vendor spaces depicted above on our ground floor plan. In addition to these options we also want to allow temporary vendors to sell in our food court. These vendors will range from international cuisine, vegetarian options and pizzerias. This variety will allow students to dine while also providing an income to help maintain the building and its spaces.
The food sold in Benny’s student center will showcase different cultures and provide a location for social gatherings, which will help students build community. There will be nearly 4000 square feet of dining space as well as over 3000 square feet of lounging space for students to interact as they wish. Students will also have access to green spaces along the outskirts of the building. As shown on the floor plan above, the greenery will provide a radiant atmosphere for our students to socialize. Benny’s food court offers a spacious floor capacity of 25 square feet per person, accommodating up to 500 individuals. In accordance with New York City building regulations the facility features eight safety exits, all designed to swing outward for efficient evacuation.
Second Floor
The second floor of Benny’s community center will be known as Benny’s Creator Hub. This floor will feature multiple interactive activities for students to enjoy with friends and colleagues. There will be a game room with foosball, ping pong, and pool tables for students who are looking to take a break from studying. We, the Tools, believe that breaks are essential to prevent burnouts and ensure student wellbeing. Yury Rosales-Ricardo from the University of Ambato, Ecuador, wrote, “Burnout Syndrome (BOS) is nowadays a striking social and health problem.” Having an interactive game area will prevent burnout from finding a home on the campus of City College.
A video game room will provide further recreational space where students can use video games consoles such as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch as well as state of the art computers. Video games can help alleviate some of the stress from college and facilitate students’ socialization skills through an online community. Both of these rooms will have lounging areas that can provide students with an environment to unwind and rejuvenate.
Across from the game rooms there will be a dedicated makerspace for students to make their ideas a reality. This feature emerged as a top priority from the survey conducted for Benny’s Community Center, illustrated in Figure 5 in the appendix. This space will provide hands-on experience and foster creativity from the diverse interests of our student community. Tools in the space will include essential carpentry tools such as drills, screws, clamps, sanders, and workbenches. Student projects will be displayed throughout the student center, fostering a sense of community while highlighting the diverse talents of our college students.
Finally, there will be an event space where guest speakers, students, and alumni can present topics that interest our student body. The space will be equipped with modern tools such as projectors and speakers to help students learn from previous alumni and leaders from around the world. Adjacent to the event space is Benny’s Terrace where students can go out and capture the view of the campus as they unwind from the stress of college life. The terrace will provide lounging furniture that is element proof, ensuring efficiency for the continual life of the center.
Benny’s Creator Hub will have an occupancy limit of 30 square feet per person, accommodating 450 individuals. Unmarked sections of the floor plan will be filled with lounging furniture for our students to make the most of Benny’s Creator Hub, building community and campus pride from every square foot of our center.
Third Floor
The third floor will be called Benny’s Resource Center and will feature dedicated spaces for tutoring, emotional support, and student government. The goal of this floor is to provide students with everything that they need to thrive at City College and in life. If the second floor’s mission was to help prevent burnout, the third aims to rejuvenate students if burnout does occur.
Emotional support is a top priority to ensure students are healthy and able to pursue their educational goals. The emotional support center will offer eleven thoughtfully designed rooms. Each room will be furnished with comfortable seating, creating a welcoming environment where students can engage in open conversations with counselors who are dedicated to helping them navigate their issues.
This floor will also have eleven rooms for the tutoring needs necessary to help students succeed amidst challenging subject material. Tutoring rooms will be organized by subject matter such as chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Each tutoring room will have computers and comfortable furniture to facilitate an environment where every student can focus on strengthening their academic performance.
Student government plays a crucial role in advancing our center’s mission by empowering students to actively decide what shapes their educational experiences. There will be six rooms dedicated to student government. These rooms will be bright and welcoming, encouraging the student body to visit their representatives to discuss issues they perceive at City College. Each room will have the necessary amount of technical equipment such as computers, AV equipment, and stationery supplies. The space will also have printing facilities.
Benny’s Terrace will also be a feature of the third floor. This will be a serene space where students can enjoy fresh air and take in views of the campus. The occupancy of the third floor is 30 square feet per person, accommodating 450 individuals. This floor will foster a stronger sense of community and connection among peers that need support from others when facing difficult challenges.
Third Floor
The third floor will be called Benny’s Resource Center and will feature dedicated spaces for tutoring, emotional support, and student government. The goal of this floor is to provide students with everything that they need to thrive at City College and in life. If the second floor’s mission was to help prevent burnout, the third aims to rejuvenate students if burnout does occur.
Emotional support is a top priority to ensure students are healthy and able to pursue their educational goals. The emotional support center will offer eleven thoughtfully designed rooms. Each room will be furnished with comfortable seating, creating a welcoming environment where students can engage in open conversations with counselors who are dedicated to helping them navigate their issues.
This floor will also have eleven rooms for the tutoring needs necessary to help students succeed amidst challenging subject material. Tutoring rooms will be organized by subject matter such as chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Each tutoring room will have computers and comfortable furniture to facilitate an environment where every student can focus on strengthening their academic performance.
Student government plays a crucial role in advancing our center’s mission by empowering students to actively decide what shapes their educational experiences. There will be six rooms dedicated to student government. These rooms will be bright and welcoming, encouraging the student body to visit their representatives to discuss issues they perceive at City College. Each room will have the necessary amount of technical equipment such as computers, AV equipment, and stationery supplies. The space will also have printing facilities.
Benny’s Terrace will also be a feature of the third floor. This will be a serene space where students can enjoy fresh air and take in views of the campus. The occupancy of the third floor is 30 square feet per person, accommodating 450 individuals. This floor will foster a stronger sense of community and connection among peers that need support from others when facing difficult challenges.
Fourth Floor
The fourth and final floor of Benny’s community center is to study. There will be twelve rooms for group study, a large room for quiet study, and a computer room. The goal here is to provide a space where students can reach their educational goals and complete assignments alone or in groups.
The group study area will consist of twelve rooms each equipped with modern conveniences. We want students to have a space where they can design and practice presentations so smart boards and projectors will be in each room to facilitate collaboration. The smart board also gives students a space where they can work through problems in group study sessions.
Along with group study space, our surveys show that City College students want quiet zones for studying. We’ve made that a priority and designed over 2,200 square feet dedicated to silent study. This room will feature thick walls that effectively shield students from busier areas of the student center. This thoughtful layout will not only enhance academic success by minimizing distractions, but will also foster a sense of community as students learn to respect the shared space.
There will also be a computer room with printers, projectors, and software essential for students to work on projects and tasks. There will be 60-80 computers in the space, both Windows and Mac operating systems, so students can choose their preferred workflow. These components of the computer room create an effective learning environment that empowers students to operate the growing landscape of technology.
The fourth floor also features Benny’s Terrace, offering students the highest vantage point in the center, where they can break from studies with views of campus. The occupancy of the fourth floor is 35 square feet per person, accommodating 400 individuals. The final floor promotes educational success by cultivating community development through collaborative study areas and quiet spaces for focused learning, all while providing access to evolving technologies.
Rooftop
The rooftop of Benny’s Community Center is designed to uphold building safety and comply with NYC regulations. The rooftop houses essential HVAC systems that ensure optimal climate control and comfort throughout the center. Rooftop units are placed to provide adequate heating and cooling for the center during the changing seasons of the year. Air handling units and exhaust fans ensure the air quality of the building by removing humidity, stale air, and odors from the center. Roof drains are located on the roof to prevent flooding by redirecting rainfall to the buildings drainage system. Furthermore, smoke vents are crucial for the building’s fire safety measures by removing smoke and heat from the center. Along with more systems designed throughout the building, these safety measures are in compliance with New York City building regulations to provide a safe and comforting environment for our students to build community.
Schedule
This is the construction schedule for our student center. It is meticulously planned to ensure safety and efficiency for all of those involved in the construction of Benny’s Community Center.
Cost and Benefits
While our chief concern is providing students a place where they can build an enriching community in City College, we’re also very aware of the cost of building this student center. We estimate that the project’s total cost will be $36,740,350 (see Table 1 for a breakdown). We plan to build from the ground up, allowing the student center to have state-of-the-art facilities that can grow with the students’ needs as times change. While the cost may appear high, it is an investment in the future of City College through increased admission, student retention, and overall happiness on campus. It is therefore clear that the long-term benefits of this student center outweigh the costs of building it.
These benefits begin with the community. City College is a commuter school where most students travel for their education and leave immediately after. Unlike other universities where the majority of students live on campus, building community through repeated daily interactions, City College lacks community. Our proposal for a new student center would give students a place to engage with one another and build community. They could build friendships as well as foundations of knowledge through the connections they foster in the Benny’s Community Center. These relationships will help to set students up for a successful career. The community that we aim to develop will also provide students with the opportunity to participate in club events that can strengthen and build community.
Regarding the costs of building the student center, there are a couple of solutions to the high fees associated with building. We plan to ask past alumni for donations to help build a better City College for the students of tomorrow. Following the model of the Cohen Library, which was funded by and named after Morris Raphael Cohen, we also plan to ask alumni who have led particularly successful careers of wealth and fortune to help fund this project. A loan from the City of New York is also a possible source of funding for this project. Finally, this project could be funded by reaching out to major companies to contribute to the student community at City College. This would have a double benefit because it would create a bridge between City College and companies, opening the door for students looking for internships and employment through partnerships.
Item | Description | Units | Unit Cost | Total Cost |
Construction Cost (IntraBuild, 2024) | This cost includes materials, labor, equipment, services, administrative expenses, and any unforeseen costs for the project. | 70,000 sq ft | $520/sq ft | $36,400,000 |
Demolition Cost (HomeTown Demolition, 2024) | Cost for taking the old structure and the concrete. | 17,500 sq ft | $5/sq ft | $87,500 |
Tables (HomeDepot, 2024) | We will have tables inside the room for club meetings or tutoring. | 400 table | $140/table | $56,000 |
Chair (Stable, 2024) | We will put the chair where the table is. | 500 chair | $110/chair | $55,000 |
Chair for Lounge(Amazon, 2024) | We will put a couch in place for relaxation such as a lounge, gaming room, and computer room. | 500 chair | $100/chair | $50,000 |
Computer for study (Best Buy, 2024), | Regular office computer for browsing and researching the internet | 100 PC | $190/PC | $19,000 |
Computers for the gaming room | Computer with high-end specs for gaming | 25 PC | $1,350/PC | $33,750 |
Gaming Console (Playstation, 2024) | These will be set in the gaming room | 2 Console | $500/Console | $1,000 |
Other Amenities(Wayfair, 2024) | Other Amenities like a pool table (wayfair, 2024), ping pong table (Dicks Sporting Goods, 2024), etc. | 2 game table | $2,300/game table | $4,600 |
Classroom supplies(Projector People, 2024) | These supplies include projectors, projector board, marker, eraser, and withboard. These supplies will be put in the tutor room and the meeting rooms | 10/CM supplies | $3,350/room | $33,500 |
Total:(Without Tax) | $36,740,350 |
Team Section
LungPin (James) Lien is a mechanical engineering student at The City College of New York. After a year studying computer science at Queens College, James realized this path was not for him. His experience working for his family’s HVAC business, where he has assisted since graduating high school, and his interest in machinery precipitated his transfer to City College. LungPin has experience writing code in C++ and is training to be an HVAC technician. When not studying or working, James can be found watching videos on the mechanics of aircrafts and automobiles. His end goal is to innovate within the HVAC industry so that he can improve his family business and provide outstanding service for future clients.
Ivan Victoria is a second year electrical engineering student at The City College of New York. Initially enrolled at City Tech, Ivan realized that he wanted to do more for the world and transferred to City College. He plans to start a career in the telecommunications industry after completing his electrical engineering degree. When not studying for his degree, Ivan spends his time learning the language of electronics with a focus on computers. He’s always looking for inspiration for his next big project. Currently Ivan is learning about Linux. He plans to use the flexibility and control of Linux to create innovative projects in the future. Outside of school and work, Ivan loves billiards and plays whenever he has the chance.
Brian Tigre is a mechanical engineering student at The City College of New York. He graduated from The Academy of American Studies in the top 2% of his class, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout. Brian has essential infrastructural and electrical knowledge, gained through his experience in construction and carpentry. His scholarly accolades and work experience have taught him leadership, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. He is also skilled in technical proficiency and project management. Brian is currently studying calculus and physics, helping him to solve complex real-world problems as he builds a foundation in mechanical engineering. In his spare time, Brian maintains fitness and strength through powerlifting. Brian is committed to executing professional engineering projects and works tirelessly to achieve excellence in his field.
Ambrose Wilkinson is a computer science student at The City College of New York. After over a decade working in the hospitality industry, Ambrose decided to change his career. He took a coding bootcamp through the Fu School of Engineering at Columbia University, but his ambitions were too great for the accelerated education he received. Now, Ambrose is filling in the gaps in his understanding of computer science at City College. When not studying calculus or physics, Ambrose can be found hacking into video game consoles and reliving the games he missed as a child. Ambrose also has a bachelors of arts in English and Sociology from Hunter College where he graduated Cum Laude in 2016. His true passion is in health and he wants to use the intersection of hardware and the human body to create products that help others live happier and healthier lives through wearable technology.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Tools are proposing Benny’s Community Center, a student center that will offer a vibrant and welcoming space for students to connect, enjoy meals, engage in games, and focus on their studies. It will be a hub for personal growth and academic success while fostering a supportive environment where every student can enrich themselves and the community of City College. The center will be the catalyst needed to create meaningful connections among students regardless of their backgrounds. With the addition of a makerspace, we will be able to showcase projects of City Colleges brightest minds. The tutoring and study rooms will allow students to collaborate with each other and excel in their classes, improving their academic lives. Students will also be able to receive mental health services for moments when stress is high and expectations are higher. These are just a few reasons why students will feel more inclined to stay on campus and use all of the resources that City College has to offer. Implementing these changes will significantly increase student engagement and future applicants to City College. Greater recognition will benefit the college overall, and the enhanced space will serve as a valuable asset in building City College’s reputation.
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Appendix
Survey Results from 107 City College of New York Students
Figure 1. Survey Results: Frequency of visits to Wingate Hall.
Figure 2. Survey Results: Designated location for new student center.
Figure 3. Survey Results: Desired food options for student center food court.
Figure 4. Survey Results: Additional facilities to be implemented into the student center.
Figure 5. Survey Results: Proposed additions to new student center space.
Figure 6. Survey Results: Additional services to be implemented into the new student center.
Figure 7. Survey Results: Voting on high schooler access to the new student center.
Image 1. New CCNY Map with inclusion of proposed student center