As the calendar turns to 2010, many students are anticipating the changes the new year will bring — be it new classes, comparing new holiday gadgets or basking in resolutions for the future.
The staff at The Daily Cougar will have a different set of changes awaiting it when the holiday break ends.
After spending more than 30 years in its current location, Room 151 in the Communication Building, the Department of Student Publications will move into the Allison Room of the University Center Satellite.
“The move of The Daily Cougar offices is necessary to accommodate the growth of the (Jack J.) Valenti School of Communication,” Provost John Antel said. “We need more instructional space and some additional faculty offices to support the growth of the communication program.”
Antel also said the UC Satellite was the best place to move the newspaper to because it was close to the Communication Building.
“We made every effort to locate alternate space that would meet The Daily Cougar’s most important needs and concerns,” Antel said. “The UC Satellite is in a safe area that is close to the print shop, which is one of the things the staff requested. In addition, we wanted to keep the office close to the communication faculty and the college, and the Satellite location addressed those requests.”
To some of the staff, such as newer reporters and editors, the move will not be so unnerving. But to Editor in Chief Ronnie Turner, the move means he will be saying goodbye to a place he has known since his freshman year in 2005.
“It’s kind of odd to think I won’t be back in this building next semester,” Turner said. “There are a lot of memories in this building, a lot of late nights.
“It will definitely be odd walking out for the last time.”
While the School of Communication will benefit from the additional space, the staff of The Daily Cougar will actually lose space. Turner said it’s just a part of the process and will take some adjusting to by everyone involved.
“It’s a little smaller than where we are now, but we will make it work. Change is not always a bad thing,” Turner said. “Plus, we’re right by the Starbucks, so that will help with those long days and nights.”
Another drawback of the move will be the lack of cell phone reception in the underground location, Turner said.
“(The University is) actually working on that. They’re upgrading the communication equipment so that we’ll be able to use (cell phones),” Turner said. “In fact, anybody will be able to use their cell phones. It’s not working right now, but the plan is that by early January, when we come back, it should be (possible).”
While University officials have confirmed they are working on a plan to rectify the issue, there is no definitive timetable at the moment.
“We’ll see. I don’t want to find out what it’s like if they don’t, because that means people are going to have to step outside in the middle of the night to conduct interviews, and that shouldn’t be happening. So, hopefully, they will hold up their end of the deal,” Turner said.