As students settle into the fall semester, the Makerspace at the Student Center has undergone noticeable adjustments like impacted hours, reduced staffing and new resources available to students.
Among the changes, the Makerspace will remain open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Last spring, the space was open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The Makerspace is now within the newly formed Department of Student Spaces for Art and Collaboration, which replaced the Department of Exhibitions and Performances Spaces,” said Ronda Payne, the department director.
The Makerspace was previously a part of Student Organizations and Leadership, the department that is now known as Student Engagement and Leadership. In addition to the Makerspace, the new department oversees student galleries, student event spaces and Shop Columbia.
“The organizational restructure and a smaller fall budget for the Makerspace are due to Columbia’s budget cuts to address the college’s $17 million deficit,” Payne said.
“The Makerspace is an amazing addition to our department; we’re really excited.” Payne said, “We want to see more collaboration between the shop as well as our galleries.”
While the Makerspace has rehired its eight previous student workers, along with two new student workers through the Federal Work Study program, the space has cut down their student worker’s hours. Students employees are now working seven hours per week compared to the previous 20.
“I took the budget that we had and divided it amongst those students who wanted work, and that’s how we came up with their schedules,” Payne said.
Before the semester started, the change in hours came as a shock to many student employees.
“We didn’t really hear any news, so it was definitely stressful when we didn’t know how many hours we were going to get or if we were going to get rehired,” said Anya Krumbie, a senior animation major.
Krumbie, who has worked at the Makerspace for three years, said while less hours helps her balance classwork, she has started to apply for available seasonal jobs for financial assistance.
Similarly, Petey Holman-Hebert, a sophomore illustration major, applied for the Makerspace position back in the spring. He said he was confused when he received an email to reapply and that the former makerspace coordinator was a part of layoffs earlier this year.
“I went through the entire summer thinking that I had a secured job and that I would be doing 15 hours a week,” Holman-Herbert said. He said balancing two jobs, five classes and multiple clubs has been a struggle but he still enjoys the flexibility and freedom of the space.
The rehiring process also included two new position titles instead of just “Makerspace assistant,” Payne said. Students were able to apply for a Makerspace specialist or programming assistant.
“As a Makerspace specialist, my job is to basically manage the supplies in here that are available for students. So I’m like, putting stuff away. I’m helping to check out items,” Lali Molina, a junior illustration major, said.
The rehiring process in the summer served as a learning opportunity for Payne, she said.
“Ideally, I knew that I wanted to hire all the students who had been hired in the spring.” Payne said, “I got to see their resumes and hear what experience and why they wanted to work at the space.”
As the semester progresses, Payne’s goal for the Makerspace is to engage different students who have not had the opportunity to explore the space. “There’s so much expertise on campus that we’re really just trying to, you know, just share ideas and create opportunities for more people to use this space,” Payne said.
A new component of that goal is a suggestion box placed at the check-in Makerspace desk.
“We now take suggestions for workshops now, so if you have an idea, if a club has an idea, or you just come in, you’re like, ‘Hey, I want to do this’, then we can find the supplies for it, schedule a date, hosted in here,” Krumbie said.
The suggestion box is open for both students and faculty to pitch their ideas on any new equipment or workshops they want to host at the Makerspace. After submission, proposals are reviewed and if accepted, the workshop host receives a small stipend while the Makerspace provides the necessary supplies, Payne said.
Along with the suggestion box, the Makerspace will receive a new Inspiration and Making Library. The library will focus on helping students learn and practice new skills, providing books on costuming, cosplay, drawing, origami, knitting and crocheting.
In addition to the new opportunities and adjusted hours, the Makerspace is also settling into the new fall semester.
“You know, some days everyone just has a lot of work to get done, so kind of just put our head down and get stuff done,” said Quinn Murray, a photography major, “But some days it’s light. It’s light and everyone’s sociable and stuff like that.”
Although Murray joined the Makerspace team last Thursday, Sept. 12, other employees share similar thoughts.
“The character that was in the Makerspace, we’re gonna have to rebuild that, but it’s still here,” Krumbie said.
Copy edited by Manuel Nocera and Angel Marie Guevara
Resumen en Español:
El Makerspace está en el segundo piso del Centro de Estudiantes y tiene algunos cambios este semestre. Al comienzo del semestre, el Makerspace estará abierto para su uso de lunes a jueves de 10 a.m. a 7 p.m. y 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. los viernes. El Makerspace también aceptará sugerencias de materiales y talleres de estudiantes y profesores.
Resumen en Español por Araceli Ramirez
Resumen en Español copia editada por Manuel Nocera
