"They" are back and business is booming once again in Statesboro.
"They" are the Georgia Southern students, of course.
If you drove around the Boro this past weekend, you noticed the difference close to 20,000 additional citizens in our community makes. This week is like Christmas to many in the business community. Businesses that survived the drought of summer are definitely celebrating.
The even better news, according to Dr. Teresa Thompson, VP, Student Affairs and Enrollment for GSU, is that enrolment numbers show projected growth of several hundred undergrad students this year. Also, she projects graduate programs will be up this year.
After several years of flat or declining enrollment, this is wonderful news for the university and our community. When you add in several more thousand students at Ogeechee Technical College and East Georgia State College, it all adds up to a great year for our community and local businesses.
Eddie Mills, associate VP of Auxiliary Services at GSU, shared more good news for students. Housing rates have not increased in three years and there is no increase in meal plan rates, health fees and transit fees.
"We are very conscious of the cost of higher education and are trying to operate as responsibly as possible," he said. "We use sound business practices to operate as conservatively as possible while providing the best service options possible to our students."
Mills also reminds local businesses about the opportunities to attract more students in their door by offering Eagle Express options in their business.
Eagle Express works like a debit card and is available for all local merchants, not just restaurants. Currently there are more than 60 venders participating in the program from restaurants to auto care and hair stylists. Last year, more than 1,000 students used Eagle Express, leveraging more than $1 million spent with local venders. To learn more about accepting Eagle Express at your business contact Richard Wynn at the Eagle Card Center at (912) 478-5311.
While the students were away for the summer there were lots of improvements on campus. Here is an overview:
Health Services additions
Health Services opened their new 40,000 square feet facility at the corner of Chandler Road and Plant drive across from the PAC in January. They have also added services including physical therapy on site and moved the eye care center into the Health Services building. Optometrist Andrea Bethal, a GSU grad, is now working full time for Health Services.
The former Health Center is being renovated for swing space to accommodate the university’s interior design program as the University looks to make way for the construction of the new Interdisciplinary Academic Building (IAB).
Lot 21 improvements
This is the parking lot behind the Russell Union, the University Store and Dining Commons. Improvements included enhanced drainage and structure which has created more parking spots and will improve and ease the flow of traffic. This is the first phase of a two-phase project to improve traffic flow even more.
Hanner Fieldhouse
The front entrances to Hanner Fieldhouse will be closed until Sept. 1 as changes are being made to the front lobby of the building to improve accessibility. Accessibility to the building is still possible through the rear entrance. The interior lighting has been upgraded to brighter, more energy efficient, LED lighting.
South Campus Facility
Seven departments at Georgia Southern University have moved into the newly constructed central warehouse and storage facility, the first structure on the university’s South Campus property. The new warehouse, located at 375 Lanier Drive on the new South Campus property, houses the university’s Purchasing Department, Archives and Records Center, Equipment Transport Services, Central Receiving, Property Control, a new archaeology repository, the Department of Communication Arts’ costume shop and the Georgia Southern Museum’s Project SENSE storage. Project SENSE, or Science Education Network for the South East, is one of the Museum’s school outreach projects for Pre-K through 8th grade educators.
Military Science Building
On May 11, Georgia Southern celebrated the "height" of the building process with a Topping Out party for the new Military Science Building located at South Main and Old Register Road on campus. Construction began in January and the building is set to be completed later this year. The new 32,000-square-foot building replaces the space the Eagle Battalion ROTC program has occupied for nearly a decade. The new building will consist of a large auditorium, meeting rooms, classrooms, storage space plus faculty and administrative offices.
Dining
GSU dining services has signed a contract with “Sushi with Gusto” to provide fresh sushi, made on campus which will be sold in convenience stores on campus. Renovations of Chick-fil-A and Starbucks in the Russell Union are scheduled for this fall. They are also exploring bringing a food truck on campus. This is part of an initiative to keep expanding fresh and creative food options on campus.
Paving and lighting upgrades
Chandler Road has been repaved and restriped from Fair Road to Lanier. The parking lot at the RAC has also been repaved and restriped. Street lighting has been upgraded on Southern Drive and Sweetheart Circle. The lobby of Nessmith Lane and the PAC has been repainted.
Paulson Stadium
VIP seating has been expanded under the deck on the north side seating in the stadium. The private boxes will have local catering options this year provided by Gnats Landing, 40 East Grill, Lettuce Eat Catering and the Coleman House.
VERBA
With the closing of Grey’s book store, adjacent to campus, the GSU University Store has added VERBA a software package installed on the GSU Store website that allows students to go online and compare prices with the University Store and other online book retailers. GSU Book Store has the lowest bid 84 percent of the time. Check this out at www.GSUSTORE.com
Please email DeWayne at dgrice@statesboroherald.com or give him a call at (912) 489-9499.