The Fox Journal

The Student Association (SA) premiered a new game room on campus this spring.

SA used approximately $40,000 from the Reserved Fund to create the recreational space.

It is located just past UW-Fox’s cafeteria, off the hallway leading to the student union.

According to SA’s president, Rhys Kuzdas, “the hope is that the game will be a fun atmosphere for students to use between classes.”

The game room features a few tables and chairs, a pool table and several arcade games.

“I love the pool table and so far, I think it’s great and I’m hoping it stays around,” freshman Matt Giesbers said.

Sophomore Josh Wiedoff enjoys using the game room to take a break from his studies.

“It’s nice because you can come in here to play some games to get your mind off of things and it helps to relieve stress,” Wiedoff said.

Future additions to the room include a 106” high definition projector TV and a 56” LCD TV.

The television equipment will be available for students to use with their own gaming systems.

There was once a game room located where Jeff Kuepper’s office is now housed, but vandalism and misuse of equipment forced administrators to close it down.

“[The game room] just got trashed. The pool table was ruined and things were stolen,” Dale Thibodeau, UW-Fox’s network administrator said.

SA plans to install surveillance cameras to prevent destruction of property in the game room.

There is also an attendant on duty during the noon hour to monitor the game room.

“I strongly suggest students to take advantage of the game room as well as treat it with respect,” Kuzdas said. “If you see someone disrespecting or damaging equipment, step forward because it’s something for the entire student body.”

Money for the game room came from the Reserved Fund.

The Reserve Fund is comprised of the money left over from clubs’ operating annual operating budgets.

That pool of money helps clubs make one-time purchases, like equipment.

Not everyone believes the game room was the best place to invest $40,000.

“It’s nice to have a game room to take a break in and relax from homework and stuff, but I would like to see some other stuff get done on campus…SA could have spent it on ways to better our education,” freshman Kim Pokorny said.

"I understand that this money has to go for student benefits, but it's unfortunate that we have [other] areas on campus that are completely lacking in funds," Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau pointed to the general access labs as an example.

Money is needed to upgrade computers, but the regulations that govern the use of segregated fees prohibit Reserve Fund dollars being utilized for that purpose.