The new "Link Student Lounge" at Renison.
If you’ve been in the halls of Renison over the last few months, you may have noticed a new lounge space in the location previously occupied by the Renison Registrar Office. This space, which had originally been slated for a student lounge before being used as an office, was ideal because of its central location and proximity to the student-run Moose Tracks Connection desk. The hallway is known as “The Link” because it links the area of Renison where Social Development Studies and the School of Social Work reside, to the Great Hall, Library, Chapel and classroom spaces. The Link Lounge, together with Moose Tracks, means that the Link is now largely student space, easily accessible and on the main level of Renison. We spoke with Ryan Connell, Assistant Director of Student Experience and Housing (SEAH) at Renison, about the new lounge.
The idea for a new student lounge came from a couple of places, but the main driver was after the group Racialized Students of Renison (RSOR) hosted a panel in February 2023. At that event, a desire was expressed for a space where racialized students could come together and connect in a safe and supportive way. This led to conversations about how Renison can better support equity-deserving groups and subsequent data gathering to identify student groups and their needs.
Once the lounge space had been established, it was ready for students at the beginning of the 2023 Fall term. Lots of work was still to be done, but before any other steps were taken, Ryan and his team wanted to get student input. They began by focusing on specific student groups that exist at Renison that need targeted support: Black, Indigenous, and Racialized students, 2SLGBTQ+ students, Neurodivergent students, International students, and Mature students. The goal was to ensure that supports exist within Renison for these groups, that there are safe physical spaces, and opportunities for those same students to connect. Six consultation sessions with over 30 students were facilitated by SEAH with the help of Dr. Christine Logel for sessions focused on Black, Racialized and Indigenous students, as well as Neurodivergent students. All but one session focused on the needs of a specific group, with a final session for all students. Those sessions were followed by a survey, and overall about 70 students participated in the consultation.
The feedback was overall positive; students view Renison as a friendly and welcoming space. Some students however, particularly those who identify as part of the aforementioned groups, can feel isolated and are looking for ways to connect with students like themselves. There were concrete suggestions offered, like more support in residence for 2SLGBTQ+ students, especially with roommate matching. And there was feedback that identified some gaps in student communication for things like scholarships and bursaries for Mature students.
How does this all relate back to the lounge space? The feedback also includes the types of retrofits students would like to see in the lounge – comfortable and moveable furniture, home-like atmosphere, less fluorescent lighting, and generally making it more cozy and inviting. The space will also be used to facilitate programming, like the Queer and Cozy gatherings and the Mature Student Coffee Chats. In the Fall of 2024 two Bachelor of Social Work Students, as part of their practicum placement, will help organize and run the events, and act as a bridge between students and SEAH staff to create intentional and effective spaces of belonging and inclusion.
Changes are coming to the Link Lounge, informed by all of the collected feedback, as part of SEAH’s newly-released Road Map for Student Belonging. The lounge space is just one area that has been identified as important for overall student belonging, and will be one more place for students to feel at home at Renison.
This is part of the 2024 Renison Reports publication. Return to the Renison Reports page for other articles.