While UF is trying to Make It Reitz, student organizations are feeling the squeeze.
Part of the third floor of the Reitz Union that houses club offices closed at the end of January because of the Reitz renovation project, leaving students to adjust to smaller spaces.
Organizations located next to Student Government Finance moved to tables in the gallery on the second floor of Reitz.
Reitz Union executive director Eddie Daniels said a transition period is necessary to bring the building to a higher functioning standard and to create more space.
Christina Pham, a member of the fundraising board of directors for the Pre-Dental American Student Dental Association, said she thinks many people don’t know the location of the club’s office because of the move.
However, students have been understanding about the transition, she said.
“It has its ups and downs,” the 21-year-old UF food science and human nutrition senior said. “(Staff have) been very accommodating, which is really cool.”
Daniel Ramon, a 20-year-old UF biochemistry and molecular biology sophomore and Alpha Epsilon Delta fiscals director, said the move makes it hard to have guests. For the most part, he said only organization members can fit in the office space, so meeting with potential new members is difficult.
American Medical Student Association director Noah Ellis said he hasn’t seen any positive effects of the move. The 20-year-old UF biomedical engineering sophomore said students don’t have as much freedom to visit officers for information.
“Hurry up and finish the Reitz Union,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 2/4/2014 under the headline "Reitz construction pushes organizations out of offices"]
