Ball State University student organizations must combine forces with downtown Muncie to draw more students away from campus, members of the Mayor's Commission for Ball State Student Relations said Friday.
"Our goal is to try to encourage people to go downtown, and we specifically do that by doing cooperative advertising, cooperative efforts with the merchants," Brian Lough, director of downtown development, said. "We want to bring people in to special events to expose them to what's there."
Occasionally moving Ball State's Late Nite events from the L.A. Pittenger Student Center to a downtown location could help bridge the gap between students and the city - especially because Late Nite attracts at least 1,000 students each weekend, said senior Matthew Mattmiller, who represents Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. A building such as Center Stage, 306 S. Walnut St., would serve as a great location, Lough said.
"If downtown would be willing to give some space ... have it at a location where you want to target students," Mattmiller said. Commission members said they would have to speak with Late Nite executives to see if the idea could be pursued.
Fraternities and sororities can also rent out Center Stage and other city buildings for hosting events. The Patterson Place ballroom located inside the Patterson Building, which is on the corner of Walnut and Main streets, is awaiting its occupancy permit following renovations and will soon provide great entertaining space for student groups, Lough said.
"It will be the best room to rent anywhere," Lough said.
Lough also pointed out at least 11 buildings downtown that house retail stores, restaurants, art galleries and law services on the first floors and rental apartments on the remaining stories. The buildings - such as The Lodge Apartments and Lofts, Walnut Crown and Mitchell Place Apartments - are located in a four-block area on Walnut Street and allow students to be immersed in the city environment, he said.
"Our goal is to have downtown Muncie as the heart of the community where everyone is invited; there's something for everyone," Lough said.
Most weekend hot spots downtown, such as the Heorot, Doc's Club and other bars; however, are open only to students 21 and older, said senior Adam Link, director of public policy for the Student Government Association. Underage students don't have many nightlife options, except for visiting the Blue Bottle or The Living Room, but downtown businesses have seen an increase in the number of students embracing weekend entertainment away from campus, Lough said.
Sophomore Asher Lisec, president pro-tempore of SGA, said providing students with a way to use their meal cards at off-campus locations would also improve city-university relations. At university towns in Ohio, restaurants such as Starbucks, Bruno's Pizza and the popular Bagel and Deli work with the universities to make this possible, she said.
SGA President Steve Geraci said he already tried to pursue the opportunity with administrators but has had no success. As Lough said, the meal card system is a "profit center for the university."
"And that's understandable," Geraci said. "But it's costing students, and the Atrium has contributed to the downfall of the Village."
With new Residence Hall Dining Service Director Jon Lewis arriving in June, however, the possibility of expanding meal card use should be revisited, Lough said.
The main problem with attracting students to the city is that many students are not even aware that downtown Muncie exists, Geraci said. SGA will consider sending mass e-mails to alert students of relevant downtown events, as well as information about new businesses and promotions, he said.
"Students want to feel like they're getting in on something," Geraci said.
Geraci emphasized the need to especially target incoming freshmen as soon as they arrive on campus.
"You never find students who are unhappy when they find out what [downtown Muncie] is," he said.
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