The SEC Student Committee Story
Very rarely are you given the chance to leave things better than how you found them. Now, because of myself and a select group of students, Oregon State University will never be the same.
In 2010, OSU announced that The Memorial Union Bookstore and the adjacent pay-parking lot were set to be cleared leaving prime real estate up for grabs right in the heart of campus.
The Student Experience Center
However before the space was designated for another strictly academic building, a student petition was developed to secure the open lot and develop a new hangout spot specifically designed for OSU students and student groups rightfully named The Student Experience Center. The student center was estimated to have a total cost of $42 million with the construction being paid for entirely out of student fees and would cost students an extra $48 in fall, winter and spring terms and $36 for summer term.
But only if the petition received enough student signatures, that’s When Michael Henthorne, Director of the Memorial Union introduced me to the SEC Student Committee.
As I was the current Marketing Director for KBVRtv I became very interested in supporting the SEC for two reasons. Primarily Snell Hall, the current location of Student Media, was condemned as it was no longer up to code. Secondly the opportunity to create promotional videos for the campaign and utilize social media to reach student voters.
Phase One
The first phase of the campaign involved collecting 3,000 student signatures in order to get the Student Experience Center on the spring ballot. Justin Molter and I spoke about the power of video content and incorporated much of what we were learning through New Media Communications to create a 55- second video to build awareness around the campaign.
Phase Two
Phase One resulted in the Student Experience Center gathering sufficient signatures to be placed on the Spring Ballot. Phase Two of the project was to gain enough student votes on that Spring Ballot to begin construction of the new building. From the success we saw from out first video. I worked with Justin to create two more videos.
The first video aimed to educate students on why they should vote for the Student Experience Center as this was their only chance to secure the location.
The second video focused on the history behind “Leaving your Legacy” at Oregon State University. The video compared the history of the current Memorial Union and how it was the students vote that constructed the building we are still able to enjoy today.
Results
On May 26th 2010, The Student Experience Center Special Election closed and history was remade with 69 percent of students voting in favor of the new building.
Very rarely are you given the chance to leave things better than how you found them. The passing of the SEC measure ensures a smooth transition for existing student organizations in Snell Hall and provides future student groups a modern, safe place they can call home.
Follow the SEC & MU Planning & Construction blog for up to date news on the Student Experience Center.
Go Beavs!