By Areej Ali
McMaster students can now take breaks between classes at the nap space recently added to the third floor of the McMaster University Student Centre. The “Refresh Nap Lounge” launched during the first week of September and is currently available for student use.
The nap station project is being funded by the Student Life Enhancement Fund, an MSU-organized fund that students pay approximately $100,000 into annually. To determine what the money is allocated for each year, students are asked to submit project ideas aimed at improving student life on campus and vote on the ones they find most fashionable.
“A few years back, a nap room in MUSC was one of the top choices, so the money was given to the MUSC administration,” said Scott Robinson, McMaster Students Union vice president (Finance).
In 2016, MUSC was given $20,000 to create the space.
Lori Diamond, MUSC administrative director, took the lead on the nap lounge project. Her team reported on their progress to both the student services committee, which consisted of both university and MSU staff, and the MUSC board of management. Ongoing promotion and maintenance will be taken care of by MUSC.
Despite the newness of the initiative, the MUSC administration team has been discussing the idea of providing students with napping options for a few years now.
“We looked at different options, including high-tech nap pods, and providing reclining chairs in existing lounges,” Diamond said. “Ultimately, the MUSC board of management wanted to ensure that we used the grant money effectively to benefit the students in a dedicated space.”
The brand new nap area sits in a space that was previously allocated towards “undefined general lounge space.” Diamond explains that the previously awkward configuration of the space made furniture placement difficult.
“It did, however, make a good space for a nap lounge,” said Diamond.
The newly added nap lounge area includes seven hospital-grade, adjustable sleeper chairs and is enclosed by a clear glass wall.
Diamond excitedly affirms that McMaster students have been receptive to the new usage of the space thus far.
“The students who have found the Refresh Nap Lounge on the third floor of MUSC have been very receptive to and positive about the existence of the space,” said Diamond. “Anecdotally, the room is well-used whenever I pass by.”
More information can be found on the big screen located on the first floor of MUSC. A few rules for the nap room are highlighted below.
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Dina Fanara
Assistant News Editor
The Student Life Enhancement Fund is making a new leap this year in order to provide students with services and campus improvements to better suit their needs.
The change was set in motion by Student Affairs and the Student Services Committee this academic year. The Fund gives students an opportunity to propose improvements that can be made on campus to improve student life and well-being. Additionally, an initiative of this sort will give students a chance to take an active role in the change they envision.
This Fund has been used in the past, but making it more accessible for students this year stands as a testament to the fact that students’ voices are not only valuable, but necessary in order to improve the quality of education that each student at McMaster is entitled to.
A strong driving force behind the implementation of this program is the improvement of the quality of education for McMaster’s full-time undergraduate students.
Applicants whose projects are chosen can partner with either an MSU service or a sub-section of Student Affairs that best suits the needs of the proposed change.
Students who submit their idea will be given the opportunity to suggest services which may be beneficial as partners in the initiative. If no suggestions are made, the student will be recommended partnering services upon acceptance.
The partnership with a campus service is beneficial to those applying and the entire student body, as it promotes the use of services already in place.
There will be essentially no upper limit for the funding of a project, noted Matthcw Dillon-Leitch, president of the McMaster Students Union (MSU). Submissions may be of any size and may require anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars to complete.
According to Dillon-Leitch, “no matter the size of your project, there are funds for this,” as long as it is seen as something that will benefit the student body at McMaster as a whole.
Previous student-lead initiatives funded by the Student Life Enhancement Fund include the creation of study space on the second floor of the Student Centre, the addition of new couches in the David Braley Athletic Centre, additions to the Queer Students Community Centre (QSCC) library and the development and implementation of the Residence Information System (RIS), among many others.
By utilizing student input to such an extent. the hope is to not only listen to students and offer something that appeals to them directly, but to also give students an opportunity to come up with solutions to problems currently facing undergraduate education at McMaster that are perhaps often overlooked.
A strong supporter of student input and the power of the student voice, Dillon-Leitch explained that, “it will make us aware of all the ideas that students have to make this university better.”
Applications are being accepted until Feb. 17.
