A post on Facebook read, “Attention Bearcats: As of Spring 2020, the USG Conference Room will be closed unless requested by clubs and organizations for events. We thank you for your cooperation and wish you all Bearcats the best this semester!” The announcement also added USG Executive Secretary Nicole Pung’s contact information for clubs who wish to reserve the room for on-campus events. 

Pung is, “responsible for collecting, maintaining, and publishing minutes from our weekly Senate meetings,” according to USG’s website. 

“I would be more than willing to help set up any club events needed as long as the room is available and not booked!” Pung said in a statement to The Ticker. 

She added that the best way to reach her with any questions or concerns was via email at nicole.pung@usgbaruch.com.

The conference room, used for USG weekly senate hearings, committee meetings and more, was an area that students would take advantage of for studying and socializing. USG did not give an explanation for the change. Leila Clavijo, a junior at Baruch, said that this makes it harder for students to socialize. 

“Since the plaza is being remodeled, a lot of students are heading into the Newman Vertical Campus or the library to find new places to socialize. The USG Conference Room was one of those places people would turn to,” she said. “With this conference room closed, it makes it more distracting when people use the library as a place to socialize.” 

Although the decision to close the USG conference room has been inconvenient for many students who spent time there, students can look forward to another place on campus. Last November at USG’s general interest meeting, Emmanuel Oladejo, USG’s Chair of Arts, mentioned the opening of a new student center set to open somewhere near the 24th Street and Lexington entrance this month. 

However, there’s been no confirmation from USG this semester that this is in fact still happening.