More Space More Comfort:

Designing a New Student Lounge

Introduction:

In The City College of New York, most students often encounter the problem of finding a designated area for recreational activities or studying in the Cohen Library because of the largely occupied space from the library’s bookshelves. The North Academic Center is the most populated building on campus. In this building, most students spend their time to study, hang out, relax or sleep in the Cohen Library. However, due to the high student population, many find it difficult to find any space to do such activities because the library contains more bookshelves than areas for students. The bookshelves occupying a large amount of space can be designated towards creating more space for studying, lounging, group work, or any activities. The bookshelves are used to store thousands of books, however, a survey taken by The City College of New York students shows that 86% of them do not use those books. A high percentage of students not using these resources displays that it is going to waste, and the area it is occupying can be designated towards more useful space. The proposal is to relocate the library bookshelves to the fourth and fifth floor where they can be easily accessible and designate the space opened up for more tables, chairs, and couches for the students to use. Our proposal is of high importance because, with more areas for students, it can lead to more productivity, acquiring higher grades, and overall improving The City College of New York.

Action Plan:

With The City College Of New York Campus having the issue of less space, we plan on creating an area of more valuable space for college students to study, sleep, and interact with their fellow classmates in the Cohen Library of the North Academic Center.

Task 1: Acquire a basic understanding of when the project begins and what is being done

• The project will begin in the summer of June 2019 where there are fewer students who are attending the campus, allowing the Cohen library in the North Academic Center to be less crowded. We have already begun to look at the blueprint of the library in order to discuss what floor will be designated for students to interact among each other and what floor will be for books to be used and checked out. We have decided to designate the second and third floor of the library as an area for students to interact with each other because both floors are where students tend to be among one another the most. The bookshelves from the second and third floor will be placed on the fourth and fifth floor, making it the area for finding and checking out books. As well as, remove the table, chairs, and couches from the fourth and fifth floor and place them on the second and third floor.

Task 2: Create a survey of students attitude towards renovating the Cohen library

• Next week, we propose to send out an email to the students of City College informing them on the idea of the Cohen library being renovated in order to create more space for them. The email will explain what we are seeking to do to the second, third, fourth and fifth floor to create more space. Also, a survey was conducted by us four interviewing at least 25 students each, hearing their opinions on the proposed idea. The results came back positive because most students often complain about the Cohen library needing more space.

Task 3: Determine the workers, new equipment that is being placed, and when to place orders

• As we expected, the students will support the idea of the Cohen library being renovated for their convenience. With that being said, we have decided to add new couches, tables, cubicles and seats for the students to sit to do their homework among one another and take naps before their classes. However, for the project to start, we need to hire construction workers that are willing to get the work done. We plan to hire a construction company that can supply the number of workers they think is needed to get the work done once it fits our budget plan. Once, the construction company is hired and the equipment is decided, orders will begin to be placed in May in order for us to have the equipment when June comes, to start the new project.

Cost/Benefits:

In order to access the cost and benefits of this proposal, we first need to understand what the requirements are to complete it. An estimated amount of 12 laborers will be required in order to move the bookshelves and relocate them on the fourth and fifth floors. The average amount that manual labor costs is about $12-$18 per hour, and we have decided to pay them $15 an hour. The laborers will be hired from the company A & P Renovating, which was found through the website indeed.com. They will work for a max of 10 hours a day for 6 days in order to complete the proposal requirements. After all the work is completed we will give each laborer a $25 tip. Additionally, in order to help reduce some expenses, we have decided to relocate the tables, chairs, and couches from the fourth and fifth floors to the second and third floors. The relocation of the furniture from those floors to the second and third floor will reduce the amount of new furniture that will be needed to purchase. The new tables will cost an average of $600 each and new chairs will cost an average of $150 each. There will be 4 chairs placed per table, and we will purchase 100 extra tables, so, therefore, there will be a total purchase of 400 chairs. Furthermore, couches that are going to be ordered will cost nearly $300 each and approximately 50 couches will be purchased. After calculating all the expenses, the total accumulates to $146,100. We believe that this expense is worth the cost because student spaces are limited on campus, especially in the North Academic Center building, which is the most populated building on the campus. With surveys displaying that the students in The City College of New York want more space in the Cohen Library, it is of high importance we attend to their needs. This is a huge benefit for the students being able to have higher chances to find a designated area to do work or study, and the professors will be given more space to accommodate for any class hours that require to be held in the library. The Cohen Library is the main location that students go to in the North Academic Center, therefore it is overall great reason to expand it, so it can accommodate to many more students, and benefit The City College of New York.

Experiences:

1. 1. Humayun Kabir: was born in Bangladesh and moved to New York with his family and siblings at the age of five. He has been living in Ozone Park, Queens for the past 14 years. Humayun graduated from High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture with the class of 2018. Humayun Kabir is a current freshman undergraduate student attending The City College of New York aspiring for a Bachelors in Science degree with a major in Computer Science. He also works as a part-time sales associate for GNC where he helps customers build a nutritional diet regimen program for a healthier lifestyle. During his free time when he’s not studying for his classes or working at GNC Humayun likes to enjoy his time with a few activities. Activities such as going to the gym, hanging out with friends, and binge-watching Netflix shows.
   2. Russell Mohammed: was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and came to New York when When he was ten years old and been living here for nine years now. He graduated from a high school in Ozone Park, Queens, called High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture. He comes from a West Indian family where his parents were born in Trinidad and Tobago. The only language he speaks in English but, when he is around family or other people from Trinidad, he often speaks broken English with a heavy accent. Russell’s major sport that he plays is soccer but also, plays football and basketball. This is his second semester at City College as a freshman to study civil engineering as a major. This was his choice of major because of his interest in building bridges but lately has been thinking about if he really wants to continue to pursue civil engineering. On his free time when tries to hang out with his friends as much as possible because most of the time his friends are busy with school or work. Russell has realized that college is going to be tough as he goes from being a freshman to graduating college but in the end, he is looking forward to getting a degree in his major.
   3. Prakash Shiwsankar: was born in Guyana and moved to Queens, New York with his family at the age of five where he has since lived. He is of West Indian descent. He graduated from the High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture in Ozone Park, Queens in 2018. From a young age, Prakash has always had a strong interest in automobiles and how each one has its own unique design and performance. He is currently in his second semester at the City College of New York where he is a mechanical engineering major and has the hopes of attaining a bachelor’s degree in order to pursue his passion of designing and working on cars. In his free time, Prakash likes to play video games, watch tv shows, and hang out with friends. Personally, he considers himself to be a very open person and helps others whenever he can in the hopes that they would later return the favor to him or help others whenever they need it.
   4. Ethan Shamayev: was born in Brooklyn,  NY and has lived there for his whole life. Graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School in 2018 as an Industrial Design major, he found that engineering is what he would like to do as his career. Now a second-semester freshman at the City College of New York, he is working towards his bachelors in civil engineering. Outside of school, due to work experience, he has developed great communication skills and has learned how to tend to the needs of people of all ages. Ethan has gained experience from working at the Sweet Home Daycare, the Ditmas Park Rehab Center, Sherry B Dessert Studio, and is currently teaching math at CAS Prep. On the side, he likes to spend time with friends and is also boxing at Johns Boxing Gym.

 

 

Conclusion:

With the North Academic Center being the most highly populated building on campus, students often encounter the problem of finding a designated area for recreational activities or studying. Located in the North Academic Center, the Cohen library is often the most populated and so based on this, it was chosen as the location for the designated area. With school funding already in use for renovating student areas, such as the lecture halls in the Marshak Science Building, we can use the same funding towards recreating the Cohen Library.  The proposal will turn it into a recreational lounge area to study, hang out, relax or catch up on some sleep. By having the second and third floors designated towards student interaction and the fourth and fifth floors solely for finding and checking out books, the library will become more organized and spacious, leaving room for studying and for being social. With the students’ approval and with a plan already in place along with the costs and budget figured out, we hope to initiate the plan in the near upcoming future. First, by informing the students of the project and then by determining the workers, equipment, and orders needed to be placed, we expect to place the orders by May and be finished with the project by mid-June.

 

References:

Chair, C. (2019). Community Class Act Wood Chair at School Outfitters. Retrieved from https://www.schooloutfitters.com/catalog/product_info/pfam_id/PFAM50920/products_id/PRO67916?sc_cid=Google_COM-18A&adtype=pla&kw=&CAWELAID=320012570000052700&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=13062963977&CATCI=aud-316648055989:pla-311578916587&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dJBHmoVa06ZNqQLutYALqcLxq4SHtNlhnZpH6xMqgF99f9BxZrchI4aAkouEALw_wcB

H., G. (2019). Ironwood Manufacturing Glacier Series Rectangle Library Table (30″ W x 60″ L x 25″ H) at School Outfitters. Retrieved from https://www.schooloutfitters.com/catalog/product_info/pfam_id/PFAM39315/products_id/PRO50103?sc_cid=Google_IRN-GLT306025&adtype=pla&kw=&CAWELAID=320012570000020967&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=13100873057&CATCI=pla-247917584657&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dLwbJCW5p8XuQzG69pC3G4-etmzZ0s3FwcHNaLmiJE68EiR8ROwot4aAujUEALw_wcB

Mainstays 72.5″ Apartment Sofa, Woven Fabric, Multiple Colors – Walmart.com. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-72-5-Apartment-Sofa-Woven-Fabric-Multiple-Colors/54307720?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227051487021&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=151778947847&wl4=pla-317947372487&wl5=1023382&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=54307720&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dIBaJlIsLGhgCFjXlofyiBGrkjiFqJM5asTkrKm9pgePF3Aas9XP9EaAkBEEALw_wcB

 

Appendix:

Survey Responses:

Question:	Yes:	No:
Do you use the library books?	||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||(86)	||||||||||||||(14)
Do you want more space for studying?	|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||(95)	|||||(5)
Are the libraries shelves taking up too much valuable space?	|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||(89)	|||||||||||(11)

 

Cost/Benefits Information:

Requirements	Cost
12 Laborers	$11,100
100 Tables ($600 each)	$60,000
400 Chairs ($150 each)	$60,000
50 Couches ($300 each)	$15,000
Total	$146,100

 

Second Floor

Third Floor

Fourth Floor

Fifth Floor