Photo by Summer Mills
By Erica Dick
Returning students may have noticed that a few places on campus look different this school year. Over the summer, the campus received some upgrades! From new additions to the cafeteria, the changes in downtown Williamsburg, and the reconstruction inside the mid-level of the Boswell Campus Center (BCC), students at UC have some familiar yet new areas to explore.
The most substantial change on campus is that of the cafeteria. Upgrades in the cafeteria began during last year’s summer break when maintenance replaced the booths and tables in the atrium. New lighting and patterns on the floor were also included during last year’s renovations, which helped to create a more relaxed and colorful environment. During the continuation of the cafeteria renovations completed this summer, the setup of the food lines and the dish return area are notably different. There appear to be more food options offered each day, and the quality also seems to be better than before! In this latest update to the cafeteria, the seating inside the main area is different, and designers added a patio with seating arrangements to the front of the cafeteria for outdoor dining.
New food items are also in place just outside of campus. Cumberland River Coffee was a shop located in downtown Williamsburg. In previous years, this coffee shop had beverages and food options available for students to purchase with their meal swipes. Over the summer, The Coffee Spot on Main closed, and when it reopened as The Coffee Spot on Main, students found more options for meal swipes. Students can use their ID cards to get an assortment of coffees, teas, specialty drinks, smoothies, biscuits, danishes, and more. With all of the refreshment options available, the seating, and the laid-back atmosphere, The Coffee Spot is an enjoyable place for students to spend time with friends and study.
Another area of campus that has seen alterations over the summer is the mid-level of the BCC (the second floor of the Boswell Campus Center). Last year, the BCC had more seating options for studying and meeting up with friends. There is less seating this year because ping-pong tables and other games have been added to encourage students to take a break and have fun between classes. In addition to less seating, the campus bookstore (located in the mid-BCC) also condensed its space to allow for additional space. The bookstore still holds Cumberland’s gear, snacks, and school supplies, but now all textbooks are stored in the Lueker Building. Despite the change in textbook location, textbook pickups, returns, exchanges, and inquiries will still take place in the bookstore. However, if a student needs a new book, it may take a little longer for it to be received because the book will have to be brought to the BCC by a bookstore employee for pickup by the student.
Helpful information to know about the BCC updates is that there have been changes in office locations. The offices of Housing and SGA (Student Government Association)/ CAB (Campus Activities Board) have switched places. The Housing office is now on the BCC’s top floor across from Chick-fil-A. Meanwhile, the SGA and CAB offices are on the BCC’s mid-level, across from the coffee stand.
The last update to campus is not a building change but an entirely new addition. The University of the Cumberlands has always had police cars patrolling campus, but now UC has specific campus security cars. Standard police vehicles will continue roaming campus with the help of security cars. These white vehicles seen around campus with blue lights above their windshield are the new security vehicles.
Although summer is a time that students look forward to for rest, The University of the Cumberlands was working hard to create new and improved environments for everyone on campus. Returning students and Freshmen alike have new areas to explore, exciting opportunities, and safe spaces created by the campus changes. Be sure to visit the cafeteria, The Coffee Spot on Main, and the mid-level BCC for updates!
