LAST YEAR, THE MIKE AND JOSIE Harper Center aroused great excitement on campus. Many students were thrilled that $54.5 million had been invested in modern facilities and cool places to hang out.
Yet as the Harper Center is a part of Creighton for its second semester, many feel disappointed. Indeed, the Harper Center is much emptier than anyone could have envisioned a year before. Does this mean that the investment is a complete flop? No.
The first problem with the Harper Center is its distance from the heart of campus. For the juniors and seniors who live in Opus and Davis, it is closer from their apartments than most of their classes. However, for most underclassmen it is over the hill and far away.
Naturally, students at huge state universities must conquer greater journeys to many of their classes, but by Creighton’s standards, the walk is discouraging, especially during winter. It is obvious that the location is unattractive, yet everyone should keep in mind that its relative isolation is only temporary. The location of the Harper Center should have been more convenient.
Despite the great anticipation it aroused, the Billy Blues Alumni Grill never has more than a handful of students. However, it could be what draws students to the Harper Center. The grill is marketed as a bar, and most Creighton students therefore associate it with alcohol. Students who can legally drink are mostly seniors and some juniors, many of whom live off campus anyway.
Furthermore, the name appears to target the rare alumni who occasionally visit campus as opposed to the students who should be the grill’s primary customers.
Few students are aware that the grill has TVs, a pool table, and flavorsome yet inexpensive food. If marketed appropriately, the grill could easily become Creighton’s equivalent of a student lounge, something many students had wished for.
Likewise, the Auditorium seems rarely used, yet many were excited at the prospect. The auditorium has organized only a few poorly advertised film showings. Similarly, many more cultural events could be organized there.
The Ballroom’s potential is also neglected. In addition to occasional conferences, it could be used for dances or concerts. Unless such steps are taken to attract students to the auditorium, many may wonder if the Harper Center was worth the money.
These are just a few reasons why the Harper Center has yet to fulfill its expectation as the capital of after-class student life. Despite the aforementioned distance, Creighton students are forced to go there a few times each semester, whether to buy and sell books or to hand in papers related to studying abroad or financial aid. Such formalities can be an opportunity for the Harper Center to show that it is a place where students can unwind.
The building is too promising for its potential to be wasted.