When students troop back to campus after fall break, they will find four new benches-imported across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain-adorning the Main Quadrangle. Many students, however, are bemoaning the lack of input they had in the decision.
When students troop back to campus after fall break, they will find four new benches—imported across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain—adorning the Main Quadrangle. Many students, however, are bemoaning the lack of input they had in the decision.
The benches will be cemented into the ground, preventing students from burning them in basketball bonfires.
Because of the benches’ weight, they must be installed in specific landing sites that have already been created and will ultimately displace some of the student-built benches that have historically lined the Main Quad, said Eddie Hull, executive director of housing services and dean of residence life.
Students in Few Quad, the area that will contain half of the new benches, said they felt blindsided by the plans.
“We were all really angry about it. It seemed like it was just being brought upon us without any notice,” junior Jonathan Agudelo said. “I would really like to know just why they’d do this.”
Several administrators and students suggested that communication leading up to the decision was inadequate.
“To my knowledge, there was little to no student input regarding the bench project,” said Deb Lo Biondo, assistant dean of students for residence life.
Students will still be able to construct their own benches inside the quads, but they can only erect benches on previously designated sites on the Main Quad.
When the University purchased the benches in July, administrators were responding to a student demand for more seating on the quad, Hull said. He said students only built three benches last year, which were not replaced after students burned them in celebration when the men’s basketball team beat the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in March.
“Frankly it appeared that the issue of student-built benches had a least gone into the back corners of people’s interest,” Hull said.
The Spanish benches, which cost about $4,000 each, were chosen by one of the architects designing the student plaza, a large gathering space that will likely replace the Bryan Center walkway within a few years. After a significant delay, construction on the plaza is now slated to begin next summer to incorporate the space with the rest of campus.
Hull said the University is also developing a long-term plan for the overall architecture and landscaping on the Main Quad. The new benches will serve to see how the style fits into the campus. There are no plans to totally replace the student-built benches at this time, Hull said, adding that the decision will be reevaluated when the master plan is completed.
Senior Anthony Vitarelli, president of Campus Council, underscored the importance of allowing students to build benches that rest on the Main Quad. “Students can express ownership over painting them and using them to develop quad pride,” he said, noting that there will still be sufficient space for the traditional benches.
Campus Council has known that the University was planning on installing more permanent seating on campus for about a year.
Few Quad has obtained permission to place a bench on the Main Quad in a newly approved spot for the remainder of the academic year, said Tegwin Millard, Few residence coordinator.
Years ago, the benches served as billboards for fraternities and other living groups, but the benches currently on the Main Quad have primarily been built by quad councils and student organizations.
The Alumni Affairs office sponsored a bench building contest last weekend for Homecoming, and student interest was nearly double what was anticipated. Although several people were pleased with the participation, Hull said he had expected more groups to build benches and questioned students’ real interest in continuing the tradition.
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