University Student Center
Cost: $33.5 million
Space: 85,000 square feet
Amenities: Cafeteria, convenience store, bookstore, administrative offices, game room and multipurpose theater.
Central State University opened its new $33.5 million University Student Center on Friday morning in front of crowd of around 300 alumni, students and state officials.
Basketball legend Earvin “Magic’’ Johnson and James “Shack” Harris, one of the first African American quarterbacks drafted by the National Football League, were among the speakers at the ceremony.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this. Your great president, she flew out to L.A., her husband, and we had a tremendous conversation, and when both of these people right here twist your arm to do something you say ‘OK I’m in,’ ” Johnson said.
“They didn’t have to twist my arm. I believe in this university and students, and higher education, so this was easy to do.”
The former Los Angeles Laker owns several businesses, including SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management company that is the food service provider for the CSU student center.
The 85,000-square-foot “state-of-the-art” facility includes a computer lab, a 568-seat cafeteria, convenience store, multipurpose theater, game room, ballroom, bookstore and administrative offices.
Central State President Cynthia Jackson said raising the money and building the facility has been a 13-year “odyssey.”
University officials said that with the nudging of former CSU President John Garland and local representatives, the state ultimately ponied up the $33.5 million for the building. Once financing was approved, the institution spent the past few years designing and building the facility.
For the past few decades, the historically black university has faced several financial challenges, including its current status as the only Ohio public university under fiscal watch by the state.
CSU has cut operating expenses by 21 percent, or $10.3 million, and cut its workforce by 24 percent over the past two years.
Jackson hopes the facility will help to attract “top” students, and push enrollment forward. She also touted CSU’s recent land grant status as something that will spur more development on campus.
“We were able to do something that hadn’t been done in 120 years,” said state Sen. Chris Widener, R-Springfield, about the Ohio legislature helping the university receive land grant status.
In recent years, the school’s enrollment has dipped from around 2,100 to below 1,900. Jackson said the university hopes to grow enrollment by around 10 percent per year, in part by using the new facility as a recruiting pitch to prospective students.
Johnson, a former co-owner of the Dayton Dragons, said Central State needs to keep moving forward, and alumni, politicians, students and local business owners need to do their part.
“All the students, whatever you can give, $1, $5, $10, $100, whatever it is, you also got to help, be a part of your legacy, too,” he said. “Help this incredible university, that has also shaped your life. You’re going to go out and get an outstanding career because of this university.”
Johnson announced he will make a donation to the university’s capital campaign that was launched earlier this year.
“We know that historically it’s been a challenge for historically black universities to raise money,” he said.
During the presentation Johnson mispronounced Xenia, but joked “if I’m writing a check, I can say it any way.”
Johnson, a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, had to leave the event early because his team opened the playoffs Friday night against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.
Johnson was met with a round of applause, after which he said “I’m such a proud African American man, to say that I own the L.A. Dodgers.”
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