ETSU’s Student Government Association Senate passed a resolution Tuesday reopening the glass-enclosed garden in the D.P. Culp University Center to the student body.
The D.P. Culp University Center’s garden, which was open to students in previous years, was closed when students started placing benches, plants and soap in the garden pond.
“The hours previously were that it was open 24 hours, seven days a week, and it was even open during breaks,” Sen. Riley Smith said. “That is why it was being vandalized — because it was open when no one could monitor it.”
Some senators were concerned the vandalism would occur again, and cleaning staff would have extra duties to add to their job.
Smith proposed that the garden would only be open between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I believe that with regulated hours, [the cleanliness of the garden] would be maintained,” Smith said. “Since it is ran for students, it would be maintained by students.”
Smith contacted Tony Warner, assistant vice president for university center, about the garden in the D.P. Culp University Center. Warner, who oversees the D.P. Culp University Center and all of its operations, told Smith that he would allow the garden to be open to students again.
Smith was the first senator to bring up the closed garden to the Senate.
Smith noticed the garden while eating lunch and felt that it should be available and open to students, he said. “I get tired of classroom environments or eating lunch inside all of the time. So, I thought it would be really nice to sit inside of the garden and escape all of that.”
