Student use of Smith Union is being monitored in an effort to document how the building is used and how to make it more effective in suiting students' needs.
Office of Student Activities Information and Ticket Sales Coordinator Bonnie Pardue recruited members from the Bowdoin track team and approximately 20 other students for temporary paid positions in this project entitled People Count.
Each student was given a counter with which to track the number of people entering the building at various entrances, as well as the number of people studying in Morrell Lounge, collecting their mail, or having coffee at the café. At any given time, up to six students were taking counts of people throughout the building.
When the project was originally proposed, "everyone thought it was a good idea," said Pardue, so that they may have more information as to whether furniture is needed in other places in the Union, "how much traffic there is, how busy the café and mail room are and if we need more staff."
"We're trying to serve people in the best way we can," she said.
According to Pardue, the students counting were "all very surprised at how many people come in here."
While Pardue had originally guessed that the majority of students enter by the Information Desk, "11 to one came in through Sargent Gym," she said.
Pardue and others hope to put this information toward making the Union better and more efficient for student use. Much of the furniture is being re-upholstered in leather, which is easier to clean. Also, in response to findings that many students move the furniture when they study in the lounge and upstairs, many of the chairs have been put on wheels to facilitate movement.
Additionally, after seeing that not all of the pool tables upstairs were being used at once, one of the tables was removed.
"There are a lot more people studying upstairs now," said Pardue.
While this is the first time that the people count has been conducted, it may take place again in the future, in which case the counts would likely be taken at different times of day in order to make a comparison.