FCS Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes 9/23/2026

September 23, 2026, Frank Hall North PDR

Action Items

Bob Robinson: Produce and distribute minutes

Draft minutes from this meeting, circulate them to participants for edits/comments, and post a short summary plus the final minutes on the Facilities/Campus Services webpage.

Bob Robinson: Share storyboards and renderings

Obtain the two storyboards from Kay Collins (Wig and Smiley lounges), photograph or collect electronic versions, and send them to the group for feedback before the next meeting.

Bob Robinson: Consult architects & schedule follow-ups

Take patio and pergola feedback back to the project architect, synthesize inputs on Phase 2 (trees, pedestals, lighting), and report recommended options at the next advisory meeting.

Bob Robinson: Organize Coop/Cafe working sessions

Coordinate consultant-led storyboarding sessions in the Coop, schedule meetings with student groups and management to capture program recommendations and aim for preliminary decisions by January for possible summer work.

Bob Robinson: Negotiate online ordering terms

Continue negotiations with GrubHub about an online ordering system for Coop inventory and clarify fees/terms; report recommended approach and risk mitigations to the group.

Aiden Kim: Draft newsletter/web summary

Prepare a concise web/newsletter summary (short bullets + 1–2 paragraph details) of meeting highlights and concrete changes to publish on the Facilities/Campus Services page after vetting.

Isha Raheja: Collect student representative input

Reach out to North and South campus reps (and other student constituencies) to gather preferences on patio design, lounge features, and access-hour concerns and share findings with the advisory group prior to the next meeting.

Overview

• Meeting covered projects across Smith Campus Center (SCC) patios, lounges, Coop/Cafe, and building access policy; emphasis on student input and iterative design.
• Phase 1 patio umbrellas: foundations installed; umbrellas due week of October 9; furniture on site.
• Coop / Cafe program changes under study: storyboard workshops, student consultations, target decisions by January for possible summer renovation; reconsidering vendor model for a self-operated coffee service.
• Building access proposal (swipe-controlled doors) under discussion; trade-off between security and 24/7 student study access raised repeatedly.

Meeting logistics & transparency

• Recorder present and participants agreed minutes are shareable; minutes will be produced and circulated for review and edits.
• Consensus that meeting notes should also be posted on the FCS/Facilities web page/newsletter to increase student visibility.
• Group requested short, clear summaries of decisions (one-paragraph / bullet form) plus fuller background for those who want details.

Building access / security policy

• Current proposal: introduce swipe-card access on building doors and tighten hours; draft sets restricted access windows (discussion referenced 10:00 pm and 1:00 am timing variants) — details still unsettled.
• Rationale: incidents (sleeping in buildings, theft, stalking, unauthorized entrants) and safety concerns after recent events prompted re-evaluation.
• Concerns raised: limiting weekend and late-night study access, burden on students (stairs/routes, cross-campus travel), differences across departments (math has 24/7 access historically).
• Requests from students: consider consistent 7-day access or weekend access allowances; make changes transparent and publish clear effect on study access.
• Next steps: FCS will collect departmental feedback, bring revisions back to the advisory group, and plan a night walkthrough of campus to validate access/timer behavior and lighting.

SCC patio upgrades — Phase 1 (informational)

• Phase 1 actions completed or imminent: foundations/spires for umbrellas installed; umbrellas due week of October 9; furniture already delivered.
• Phase 1 items moving forward: lighting and power added to north side; decision pending on whether to permanently secure umbrellas/furniture.
• Security/usage debate: some items are informational (e.g., Great ShakeOut participation) while others require collaborative input (lighting, bolting furniture).
• Last-mile details to resolve whether to bolt furniture (reduces flexibility for events) and exact lighting/pedestal placement.

SCC patio upgrades — Phase 2 (collaboration)

• Concept: renovate the southern rim of the interior courtyard — dig a strip, plant four trees (species TBD), provide pedestal power and outdoor lighting integrated into trees, and improve circulation.
• Power/amenities: pedestals for laptops and phone charging and integrated lighting to extend usable hours.
• Furnishings: chosen a softer Adirondack-style chair (not steep-back chaise lounges) to balance comfort and safety concerns (sleeping/use).
• Design options: architect provided renderings showing either open seating/Adirondack chairs or a more covered pergola/pergola-like structure; group prefers keeping space open with tree shading and tenting for events when cover is required.

Solar canopy / outdoor study benches

• Solar canopy study benches have arrived and been installed; benches include lighting, pedestal power for laptops, and phone charging points.
• They were operational and used the evening after installation; team will trial usage and evaluate performance.

Lounges & interior upgrades (Wig & Smiley)

• Interior designer (Kay Collins, long-term consultant) preparing two storyboard boards (renderings, materials, carpeting, drapes, furniture) for the Wig and Smiley lounges.
• Boards to be shared electronically and/or photographed for feedback prior to next meeting.
• Student feedback: prefer warm, softer lighting (motion sensors/timers suggested), avoid harsh fluorescent LEDs; prefer durable finishes and furniture selections mindful of heavy use and maintenance.

Coop Cafe 47 / Milk & Honey / food program

• Coop / Cafe 47 reimagining: consultants/storyboarding planned; objective: develop physical and programmatic changes driven by student input.
• Timeline goal: make key decisions by January to enable possible renovation over the summer.
• Vendor model: discussion about moving to a self-operated coffee vendor (buy beans locally, potential tasting) and/or branded coffee concept ("Brew 47"); some skepticism about gimmicks.
• Online ordering: negotiating with GrubHub for an online ordering system for Coop items; concerns raised about fees, third-party risk, and operational control — preference expressed for keeping critical services in-house where possible.
• Milk & Honey program: will operate again on a limited schedule (historically Tuesdays/Thursdays, 5:00–10:00 pm); management to meet with the program team to address operational issues; management staff expressed renewed enthusiasm.

Decision-making & governance

• Bob Robinson clarified the intended process: gather input from faculty/staff/students, consult relevant constituencies (Student Affairs, finance, Campus Safety, HRL, ASPC), synthesize feedback, then leadership will make final decisions.
• Student voice prioritized for student-facing spaces (Coop, Cafe, SCC patios); operational constraints and safety needs will moderate final outcomes.
• Group discussed forming/using food committees (ASPC food committee / North & South campus reps) to channel student preferences into consultant storyboarding sessions.

Next steps / outlook

• Designer storyboards and renderings will be circulated for comment; minutes and a short web-post summary will be published.
• Management will meet with student groups/consultants in the Coop for storyboarding sessions and aim to have recommendations in the coming months.
• FCS will continue to collect departmental and student feedback on building access and will schedule a night walkthrough to verify lighting/timer/card-reader inconsistencies prior to final decisions.