Game room? What game room?
Paul Abts
Issue date: 3/18/08 Section: News
Few people go there. Some don't even know it exists. According to the Wittenberg website, it's part of "the central meeting place for students" and has "eight pool tables, a foosball table, and video games."
It's the game room, located on the lower level of the Student Center.
In reality, there are only four pool tables, and the video games - Golden Tee '99 and Star Trek Pinball - don't work.
As far as being a "central meeting place," well, at least the third word is accurate
Director of Student Activities Mark DeVilbiss said that the game room "is used every night," but admitted it is "underutilized."
DeVilbiss also mentioned the challenges of maintaining and replacing the equipment.
"People steal the eight-balls all the time," he said. "I don't know why."
There is also a scarcity of nine-balls.
DeVilbiss said that ping-pong balls also get stolen frequently by people playing a different kind of pong.
According to DeVilbiss, all four pool tables have been re-surfaced with new bumpers and felt in the last year.
Unfortunately, three of the tables have already sustained small rips in the felt. In addition, five of the thirteen cues have no tips.
Erik Larkin, who works in the game room two nights a week, said the school will buy new tips instead of replacing the entire cues.
However, he said the cues have been missing tips "for a while" and did not know when they would be repaired.
Given the lack of demand, it may not be a pressing concern.
"There's hardly ever any freshmen [in the game room]," Larkin said, noting that other than a few regulars, not many people use the game room.
Game room activity has declined to the point that there is even talk of converting the space for administrative use, according to Larkin.
The game room is busiest when it gets spillover from the audience of events in Wally's such as Pocket Lint shows, which suggests that reopening the pub could help draw students and make the lower level of the Student Center an actual meeting place.
"If Wally's was open again, I'd go down there all the time," said junior Lee Schmiedebusch.
DeVilbiss has heard the rumors about Wally's reopening, but has not seen any specific proposal.
He is open to the idea of bringing the pub back to life.
"The impetus should come from the students," he said.
For those who want to see the game room for themselves, it is open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily.
It's the game room, located on the lower level of the Student Center.
In reality, there are only four pool tables, and the video games - Golden Tee '99 and Star Trek Pinball - don't work.
As far as being a "central meeting place," well, at least the third word is accurate
Director of Student Activities Mark DeVilbiss said that the game room "is used every night," but admitted it is "underutilized."
DeVilbiss also mentioned the challenges of maintaining and replacing the equipment.
"People steal the eight-balls all the time," he said. "I don't know why."
There is also a scarcity of nine-balls.
DeVilbiss said that ping-pong balls also get stolen frequently by people playing a different kind of pong.
According to DeVilbiss, all four pool tables have been re-surfaced with new bumpers and felt in the last year.
Unfortunately, three of the tables have already sustained small rips in the felt. In addition, five of the thirteen cues have no tips.
Erik Larkin, who works in the game room two nights a week, said the school will buy new tips instead of replacing the entire cues.
However, he said the cues have been missing tips "for a while" and did not know when they would be repaired.
Given the lack of demand, it may not be a pressing concern.
"There's hardly ever any freshmen [in the game room]," Larkin said, noting that other than a few regulars, not many people use the game room.
Game room activity has declined to the point that there is even talk of converting the space for administrative use, according to Larkin.
The game room is busiest when it gets spillover from the audience of events in Wally's such as Pocket Lint shows, which suggests that reopening the pub could help draw students and make the lower level of the Student Center an actual meeting place.
"If Wally's was open again, I'd go down there all the time," said junior Lee Schmiedebusch.
DeVilbiss has heard the rumors about Wally's reopening, but has not seen any specific proposal.
He is open to the idea of bringing the pub back to life.
"The impetus should come from the students," he said.
For those who want to see the game room for themselves, it is open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily.
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