Games Center Employees Kept Jobs During Closing

Games Center employees put in hours at the candy stand on floor two of the USU while the Games Center was remodeled from January to April.

Sivmi Chia, 22, a fifth year at CSULB was hired in January right before the floods. Her first week on the job was spent outside of the Games Center, turning students away.

"For the first week we got to sit at a table and tell people the Games Center was closed, that was fun," said Chia. "Then they rotated us in at the candy stand for a couple months."

Kevin Jones, 22, a fourth year at CSULB who was employed at the Games Center before and after the floods in January said he is lucky to still have his job.

"The first week we basically just sat outside and did homework when we could," said Jones. "And surprisingly a lot of people did try to get into the Games Center, even with all the do not enter signs."

Sign ups for Recreation and Wellness Center

The Student Recreation and Wellness Center(SRWC) is set to open August 2010, but more than 4,000 students have already registered in the USU Room 201.

“In the first three days, about 2000 people signed up,” said Ashley Cappel, Member Services and Marketing Coordinator. “When I come in every morning, there are about 10 people in line.”

All CSULB students are eligible for the SRWC; membership is paid in the $116 per semester University Student Union Fee. But students must register to be able to use it in the fall.

“I think I’ll go a lot, I mean since I’m paying for it,” said Donna Penalva, 22, a CSULB senior who registered for the SRWC. “The fee doesn’t bother me, at least we don’t have to pay every time we go.”

The SRWC will have a four-court gym, an indoor jogging track, 20,000 square feet of weight and cardio equipment, racquetball courts, a rock climbing wall, a wellness center, a swimming pool and more.

“I’m most excited about the indoor track and rock climbing,” said Penalva.

SRWC Website

SRWC Facebook

ASI Summer Fee Prohibited

The CSU Chancellor has prohibited ASI from charging a summer fee leading to funding cuts for student programs at CSULB, including the USU.

ASI is not allowed to charge a summer fee for students registered in a self-supported program, but all CSU summer instruction is now a self supported program because California can no longer afford to fund the summer semester.

Along with the money lost from the elimination of the summer fee, ASI President Chris Chavez told the Daily 49er that CSULB would lose about 2,000 students for the 2010-11 academic year, which will drop ASI's revenue by about $200,000.

"Its disappointing that ASI will lose money," said Stephanie Arita, 20, a junior a CSULB. "I mean, I use the USU all the time to eat, study and just hang-out, I hope nothing in there is compromised."

But with such an extreme loss of money, many student programs are expected to take a hit.

“Student programs we would normally choose to fund, we just don’t have the resources,” said Dave Edwards, ASI associate executive director told the Daily 49er.

Daily 49er Broadcast on Summer Fees Ban:

49er Broadcast on ASI Summer Fee Ban

49er Story on ASI Summer Fee Ban

New Games Center, New Crowd

Since the CSULB Games Center re-opened at the beginning of April, business has not been the same.

"At night its really dead, even for the big games," said Kristine Ojala, 22, an employee at the Games Center. "The old crowd either doesn't know we're open or has worked us out of their schedule."

After flooding in January, the Games Center bowling lanes had to be completely renovated. They are now brand new and have been updated with automatic scoring. Ojala, who worked at the Games Center before and after the renovations, said these renovations have made the bowling more popular.

What used to be the USU Arcade is now the Sticks Lounge, which holds Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC gaming stations instead of the old arcade style games. According to Ojala, some students are unhappy with this change.

Ojala is most surprised by how several students don't even know that the Games Center has re-opened.

"People come in here all the time saying, 'Oh my gosh, you guys are open? When did this happen?'" said Ojala, "Its weird because it's been like a month."

The old USU bowling ally. (Photo here)

The new USU bowling ally. (Photo by me)

The old USU Arcade. (Photo here)