Arkansas Tech University is continuing to make progress toward the opening of Ferguson Student Union.
Drew Dickey, ATU director of facilities management, reports that the construction fence surrounding the building will be taken down on Monday, Jan. 19.
The new 123-space parking lot on the south side of Ferguson Student Union will be available for use once the fence is dismantled and hauled away.
“As a point of clarification, the removal of the construction fence is not an indication that the project is complete,” said Dickey. “Once the construction fence is down, the building will remain closed to allow for the delivery of furniture and equipment, for staff members to move in and for the professional and student staff to receive the extensive training necessary to operate the various aspects of the building.”
Kevin Solomon, ATU assistant vice president for campus life, elaborated on the scope of the training that awaits those who will make Ferguson Student Union operational.
“Arkansas Tech University has never had anything like Ferguson Student Union,” said Solomon. “The building includes a full-scale fitness center on the east side and state-of-the-art meeting spaces on the west side, just to name two of the many aspects of the facility. After our staff begins moving into the space in February, the ATU Department of Campus Life will train the student workers who will make Ferguson Student Union go on a daily basis. This includes training on technology, cleaning and safety as well as preparing the building for opening.”
Chelsea Neal, ATU associate dean for campus life and director of Ferguson Student Union, pointed out that every space and every corner in Ferguson Student Union will be influenced by student workers.
“Like Hull Building Student Union before it, Ferguson Student Union will be predominantly staffed by student workers,” said Neal. “Our emphasis during the training process will be on confirming that the building and every piece of equipment in it is operating at 100 percent before we open the doors. This includes ensuring that our student staff members are comfortable and confident in the many and varied responsibilities they will fulfill.
“We want to provide Arkansas Tech students with the phenomenal experience they deserve,” continued Neal. “All of us who have worked on this project understand this has been a long time coming. No one is more ready than us to get Ferguson Student Union open and operational, but we must balance that enthusiasm with the reality that everything about this building is new to Arkansas Tech. It will take some time to make sure that our student workers are prepared to make the most of the significant investment that the university, its supporters and its students have made in Ferguson Student Union.”
The dedication and grand opening for Ferguson Student Union is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 18. ATU students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public are invited to attend.
Located just a few steps south of Chambers Cafeteria, Ferguson Student Union will provide student meeting spaces, areas for student leadership development, lounge spaces for students to enjoy during their free time, fast casual dining, an e-sports gaming lab, basketball courts, a location to check out outdoor recreation gear and workout areas for cardiovascular and strength fitness training. The facility encompasses 69,990 square feet.
Kinco Constructors created Ferguson Student Union at a contracted price of $33,946,865. That figure includes the cost of demolishing the Administration Building and Tomlinson Hall, constructing Ferguson Student Union and developing the parking lot on the south side of the new building.
Ferguson Student Union is named for Jimmy Ferguson, his wife Cindi and their family. Mr. Ferguson served on the ATU staff from 1975-94, advancing to the rank of assistant vice president and dean of students.
While at ATU, Mr. Ferguson was elected president of the Arkansas College Personnel Association in 1982. He served the National Association for Campus Activities as the chairman of the board of directors. He held an appointment by Gov. Bill Clinton to the Arkansas Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism.
Since completing his service to ATU and entering the private sector, Mr. Ferguson and his family have owned and operated more than 30 McDonald’s franchises in central Texas over a span of three decades. He has held numerous national and regional leadership positions with the McDonald’s organization.
Learn more about Ferguson Student Union at www.atu.edu/studentunion/future.php.
Below are additional photographs of Ferguson Student Union as it appeared during the final stages of construction and landscaping on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
