The KaGe opens for business

After years of begging for something resembling a student center, the wait is over.
Or at least it will be soon.

The KaGe, the renovated, former Guffin apartment located beside The Breezeway, opened its doors on Oct. 21 as a new space for students to relax.

KaGe visionary and Coordinator of Student Activities Paul Daigle will be the first to point out that the area is not a full-fledged student union, but it was created to address student requests for a place to hang out.

The grand opening of the KaGe, originally scheduled for the Dia del Este weekend, was delayed about a month to finish renovations and find student employees.

Students can now be in the lounge, but many of the features promised are still in the works.

“We don’t have everything we’ll eventually offer, but we went ahead and opened,” Daigle said.

Students can currently use the foosball and air hockey tables, relax on the couches, concoct creations in the kitchen and choose from a variety of board games.

In addition, discounted movie tickets to Anthony Wayne theater and SAB event “punch cards” can be picked up at the desk.

The Xbox 360 and Wii game systems promised at the beginning of the year are still being set up, Daigle said.

There will also be two laptops available in the near future that can be rented by students in two-hour time blocks. Students will need to keep the laptops within the Kea-Guffin building and cannot download any programs.

Renters must fill out an extensive liability form as well.

“If you damage it, you buy it,” Daigle said of the laptops.

To help promote the KaGe’s initiation, the Breezeway will be opened at 1 p.m., Monday to Saturday for the next two weeks as a convenience store. The grill will still open at 8 p.m., but students can purchase drinks and snacks in the afternoon.

Daigle said the change will serve as a trial run to see if students actually take advantage of the extended hours.  

The KaGe is also the only place on campus where students have access to a full kitchen. Daigle said the main policy with the kitchen is that students clean up once they are finished.

First-year Rachel Stout, one of the KaGe employees, said many students have stopped by to check out the space, but not many have stuck around.

“It’s hard right now for people to see it because it’s not really done yet,” Stout said of KaGe. “It’s going to be pretty cool once it’s up and running.”