Source: Carmen Leeds
The Memorial Union Board of Directors voted Oct. 8 to make updates due to audio and visual equipment failures. The projected cost totals out to be $198,687.76.
A plan was drafted in July using leftover funds from the 2012 union renovations. The rooms receiving updates include Webb Hall, Flint Hills, the Kanza room, the Ballroom and the Associated Student Government Senate Chambers.
This update will help keep the equipment up to date, according to Carmen Leeds, Memorial Union director.
“We haven’t had any upgrades to our AV equipment since the (2012) renovation,” Leeds said. “When it comes to technical things going more than about five or six years, you’re usually behind.”
Josh Jenek, IT support specialist, said they’ve made a few updates, but won’t start on the main project until December.
“We’ve installed a few microphones to get us through,” Jenek said. “We were having some failings…just a handful of mics, nothing else really. Dec. 10 through the 21 is when we anticipate to have the bulk of it done…We’re extending a third week to wrap it up in January.”
The Senate Chambers has been experiencing some technical difficulties.
“They brought in a company just to review all of the tech and the system and during those tests, there was a lot of negative feedback on the microphones,” Webb said. “We’ve noticed a few (issues) with the feedback.”
They’re doing their best to avoid any crashes before the renovations, according to Jenek.
“The equipment’s approaching end of life,” Jenek said. “It’s acting finicky. It’s getting unpredictable and I can foresee a complete crash at some point…and we want to avoid that as much as possible. (We want to) provide our clients and customers with the best experience so we can without losing any of that functionality.”