VICTORIA YU

TIGER TV ONLINE REPORTER

BATON ROUGE, La.– The Student Union’s ongoing construction will come to a close by March of 2011, Shirley Plakidus, Director of the Student Union, said.

“We are over 50 percent done, close to 60 percent,” she said.

Plakidus said the main floor and the third floor will be completed this year.

“We expect to finish the theatre and food court by next summer,” said Plakidus.

Currently, the front lobby and other sections are walled off so construction can successfully continue.

Allison Belgard, chemical engineering junior, said the construction has been inconvenient.

“I look forward to being able to walk in through the back,” she said.

The Union construction is unaffected by this year’s budget cuts.

“Construction is funded by student fees and bonds that are issued to underwrite the project,” Plakidus said.

Plakidus said the Union made the decision to stay open during construction because students pay for building.

“We didn’t want any year of students to go through college without being able to experience the services and amenities that can be had at the Union,” she explained.

Fabrazio Portillo, an arts senior, said the building is functional, “but it’s really cold inside.”

Belgard said she still comes to the Union because of her friends.

“It’s where my friends hang out,” she said.

The Union is asking for students, faculty and staff’s help in naming the new multimedia and all purpose space on the

first floor that looks down over the Memorial Oak Grove.

Portillo he would name the space Pelican Hall.

“I think there’s already a lot of Tiger Halls,” he said.

The new space is near McDonald’s, Einsteen Bagel and the Billiards area. The area contains a stage and big screen projectors and will host performances and events.