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Students
vote on new USU furniture
By
Lauren Nelson
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer
With
shows like "Trading Spaces," "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition" and "While
You Were Out," it is no surprise that
Cal State Long Beach is getting involved
in the popular trend by refurnishing the
University Student Union with furniture
chosen by students.
For
the past few weeks, floor models have been
displayed in the USU dining and games area.
Whether taking a break and playing pool
between classes, eating lunch or watching
"Divorce Court," students have
been testing out the furniture to see if
it is lounge-worthy.
Up
until last Friday, ballot boxes were displayed
in each area to encourage students to have
fun and get involved.
"Students
appear to be liking the furnishings,"
USU Associate Director Robert Lara said.
"A significant number of students have
voted," he said, but an accurate count
has not yet been determined.
Many
students, including Nicole Verrett, didn't
understand the purpose of the random furniture
displays.
"I
was thinking that it must have been an Ikea
advertisement," she said.
According
to Lara, the USU staff worked with various
designers to create the furniture that some
describe as contemporary, bright and abstract
with its colors of orange, blues, black
and white.
"I
think [new furniture will] create a good
energy, a cheery mood," Verrett said.
Currently,
the furnishings in the USU are not consistent
from one area to another. Between the candy
counter and fast food stops, there are secluded
booths with plastic cushions with tears
temporarily held together by duct tape.
On the other side of the wall is indoor
seating that is comprised of plastic tables.
Outside,
in the middle of the roofless union are
the more upscale furnishings consisting
of glass-top tables. In the Music Listening
Lounge, considered by many to be the most
relaxing and psychedelic place on campus,
bean bags line the paint-splattered walls
as music and black light let people stare
into space, or sleep.
Near
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, students crowd
oddly placed tables that seem as though
they were never put away after an event.
"Look
at these tables; they look like they came
from storage," Verrett said. "We're
using it because we need it, but it would
be nice if they were aesthetically appealing."
In
2002, new chairs with moveable desktops
were bought to make the TV lounge more comfortable.
"We
want to accommodate large and small groups
of students," Lara said, who acknowledges
that the tables used now are too large.
Lara
said USU officials do not yet know how much
money will be spent on tables, chairs and
couches. It will all depend on the students'
decisions, which they hope will be determined
within the next couple of weeks after USU
officials review sponsors.
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