A tale of 2 game rooms

During their spare time, students on the Edinburg campus can visit the Student Union Game Room and have access to a variety of games; on the Brownsville campus, however, students do not have that amenity.

Kevin Martinez, a pre-nursing sophomore, believes the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses should have the same facilities and offer the same services.

“[Students in Edinburg] have a gaming room of their own, and in order to dissipate the notions that we are not equal, then I believe that we should have the same facilities or the same services as the Edinburg campus on the Brownsville campus,” Martinez said.

Student Union Director Edna Zambrano said the reason there is no game room on the Brownsville campus is the lack of space.

“In the future, if there were an expansion or if a new unit were to be built on the Brownsville campus, we will definitely have [a game room in the facility],” Zambrano said. “But right now, with the building the way it is and all the programs that have to be there and the classrooms that they have there and the tutoring, there is no room.”

The Student Union at UTRGV is a facility that offers programming, support services, dining, recreation and meeting spaces to enrich student life and promote learning outside the classroom, according to the university’s website.

At the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, students pay a mandatory $30 Student Union fee per long semester and $15 per summer session.

In Brownsville, that fee pays for student activities, wages, utilities, custodial fees for El Comedor and the maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Both Student Union buildings at UTRGV are still being paid off. Student Union fees are also used to pay the debt service each year.

The Edinburg campus Student Union operating budget for Fiscal Year 2017 is $651,102 and $503,316 for Brownsville.

In an email sent to The Rider, Student Union Director Edna Zambrano said all unused operating budget expenses go into a Student Union reserve that is used when major equipment replacement is needed.

“For example, the new furniture that was installed last year at El Comedor. And could be used for future expansion of buildings on both campuses,” Zambrano wrote.

The Student Union Game Room in Edinburg has seven pool tables, two air hockey tables, gaming consoles and board games, said Mabel Cortina-Matos, event manager for the Student Union.

Expenses for the game room on the Edinburg campus are an annual update of games or billiards equipment. This year, $2,097 has been spent on the Edinburg Student Union Game Room equipment, according to Zambrano.

Last year, $22,000 was spent in activities for the Brownsville campus. This year, $12,000 has been spent, so far.

Legacy institution UT Brownsville had a game room for its students until the summer of 2013. The game room was located in Student Union 1.10, which now houses the Student Media office.

When UTB split from Texas Southmost College, offices formerly housed in TSC buildings were relocated to the Student Union. Consequently, offices already housed in the Student Union were moved to different areas of the building, leaving no space for a game room.

However, two billiards tables from the former game room were moved to El Comedor, which is the Student Union dining area in Brownsville.

El Comedor closed in Fall 2015, the inaugural semester of UTRGV, to undergo renovations.

When El Comedor opened its doors again in Spring 2016, two new food concessions were available for students. However, the two billiards tables were gone.

Throughout the year, students walk into the Student Media office and ask if the area is still a game room or where its new location is.

“Usually, we keep all the doors locked but sometimes someone will leave the door open by accident and we’ll be working and some random person will come in,” said Clarissa Martinez, a student employee for the Student Media department. “It’s kind of scary because he is a stranger. But then, they’ll ask, ‘Is the game room here? Is this the game room?’ and we’re like, ‘No.’ They ask if we know where it is and we usually say there isn’t one and then they leave.”

Leonel Villafranca, a mechanical engineering sophomore, said he would like to have a game room in Brownsville.

Asked why, he replied: “To have just some activities to do when you are not busy with school or anything else.”

Business freshman Jose Chavez said the Student Union in Brownsville is boring.

“People just come here to study but, obviously, there is other places to study, you know,” Chavez said. “I mean, it’s the Student Union, like, it should unite the students and most of the events that they do here are actually outside, you know. It would be a lot better if we actually had some things to do in here. Besides, we have to bring our own things to do, which is not bad, it shows initiative, but it would be really nice if we had a pool table or something.”

Zambrano said the Brownsville Student Union offers gaming events throughout the year.

“In the absence of a game room, we wanted Brownsville to have some of the gaming and that is why, you know, we set it up,” she said.

Chance Chapman, an anthropology freshman, said a game room on the Brownsville campus would bring community spirit.

“Playing games is always good and it fosters a sense of community spirit,” Chapman said. “You get to meet new people and you get to catch up with people you haven’t met in a while.”

The Student Union posts its upcoming events on its social media pages. For a schedule of events, visit the Student Union Facebook page at facebook.com/utrgvstudentunion.

“If you have any students that contact you requesting the game room, I encourage them to send us an email to studentunion@utrgv.edu so we can start collecting that feedback,” Zambrano said. “We need to hear from students. If that is something that they want in Brownsville, we’d like to know so the university can plan for the future buildings for expansion or remodeling or whatever is that they are going to do.”