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The Enrichment Centre: A Triumph of Poor Design

31/10/2016

 
ANON
Online only - 31 October 2016
The new enrichment centre on the mezzanine floor of the Law School is a triumph of poor design.
​Throughout my years at MLS, students have (rightly) complained about a lack of study space. Today, for example, I walked into the level three law students area, only to find that there were no seats available. With my heavy backpack and a pile of books, I walked up to level four of the library (where there were no seats), and then level five (still no seats). For some reason, students are banned from using the lift. I then walked back down the two flights of stairs and wallowed in defeat.

With the closure of the Law Student Centre, the Law School had a fantastic opportunity to put to good use a large and well-located space in the building. Unfortunately, in its current form the space has been wasted.

The purpose of the mezzanine ‘Enrichment Centre’ is unclear, with the only communication from MLS being that the Centre is ‘a dedicated space for Law students’. The Centre consists of a staff members’ desk, a couple of large circular ‘booth’-style study spaces (which appear to lack AC power), a long communal desk (which does lack AC power), a semi-separated area with a large TV and some chairs, and a whole lot of empty, wasted space. When I visited, the Centre was completely empty save for a staff member, and a couple of students who left soon after. This is on a day where all other study areas in the building were completely full.
Picture
An artist's depiction of the newly-constructed Student Enrichment Centre
The room is a poor choice for students who need somewhere to study for three reasons. First, the desks lack AC power - a farcical oversight. Second, their concentration is liable to be interrupted by the resident staff member answering the phone or a student enquiry (this is not the fault of the staff member; it is the fault of whoever designed this space). Third, the seating is impractical. As it stands, the room is essentially a massive office for ‘Enrichment Centre’ staff with a bunch of empty desks and chairs.

Ultimately, the space has failed: despite professing to be a dedicated area for law students, law students refuse to use it. This is because the room does not know what it is. Is it an office for staff members? Is it an area for students to have meetings/discussions? Is it a silent study area? The space does many things, but it does nothing well.

These problems can be overcome. First, the staff member needs to be given a proper office, not a desk in a student study space. Second, the current furniture should be replaced with space-efficient individual carrels with AC power. If it were designed properly, the space could probably accommodate a sufficient number of law students so as to alleviate the current shortfall of study space in the law student area on level three. Third, there needs to be adequate communication to law students about what this space is (and what it isn’t).

It is frustrating that the Law School has again failed to pay heed to the needs of students. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have (probably) been spent on a poorly designed space which does little to increase the utility for law students.

​Anon is a third-year JD student
Laura B.
31/10/2016 08:27:23 pm

I understand your frustration with the lack of study space at MLS but the enrichment centre is not a library, its primary purpose is not to provide study space.

It is supposed to be a present space for wellbeing as well as a place for meetings and consultations with student support teams, hence the round tables. Also, there is a large multi purpose area that can be used for activities such as yoga, mindfulness and so on.

It brings the staff into the view of students which I suppose will encourage interaction. It's better than having staff tucked away in the library on level three.

It does cater for the needs of students. Our needs are not limited to a desk and a power point.

I don't think it is fair to write it off before seeing it operate in the full swing of semester, with all the activities and so on. New spaces need time to develop and people will come to understand its use with time.

That said the fact that the purpose of the spaces appears to be unknown to you means that you're right in that its purpose has not been communicated as well as it could have been.

FYI the non-library side of level 5 is currently restricted to law students only. You might find some extra study space there. You can access the break out rooms.

Over it.
31/10/2016 09:23:19 pm

To be honest, I much preferred the wellbeing office on level 3. Maybe staff were tucked away but it meant I could go and have my emotional breakdown in peace and relative privacy. Now everyone can see if you go in there freaking out. Plus how do we actually get to wellbeing? Do we have to book in an emotional breakdown?

The whole space is a waste, even if you don't want to study in it. It just points to how fundamentally MLS doesn't understand what their students actually need, or even want.

Laura B.
31/10/2016 09:53:41 pm

There are two doors. The one to the right leads to a discrete waiting space that was put there for precise the circumstance you describe.

Unenriched
31/10/2016 09:59:36 pm

Want to know what would increase my wellbeing? Being able to find a seat somewhere I can productively study.

Justine Block
10/11/2016 02:59:09 pm

Dear Anon. Thank you for posting your feedback on the Student Enrichment Centre. Feedback from students is a vital part of the process to maximise the usability of the Centre. As a reminder, students were provided with the opportunity to participate in the design phase of the Centre and their recommendations were incorporated into the final design. Some of the issues that you’ve raised are currently being discussed and resolutions have been proposed. These issues have been identified by both the Enrichment staff and by the students using the Centre. We are also undergoing a review of the Student Enrichment suite of services (Careers, Mentoring, Work Integrated Learning, Global Opportunities, Wellbeing) to increase engagement with students through the use of the space and other initiatives; more news to come. I’d like to extend an invitation to any student to provide feedback to me on the Student Enrichment Centre via email on [email protected] or pop in for a chat. I look forward to hearing your ideas and comments. Justine Block, Manager Graduate Services and Careers.


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