ASOSU plans to close the Disabled Student Lounge and the International Student Lounge to make way for a “more comprehensive support program.”

Spring term marked the end of a two-year pilot program in which ASOSU oversaw both lounges. President and Vice President elects Audrey Schlotter and Zach Kowash plan to extend the pilot program another year, but in a different format. 

The physical lounge spaces will be closed, but the programs will continue with a focus on policy and connecting with community members. 

“(The goal is) to reassess and find out what these communities need on campus,” Schlotter said at a senate meeting on Wednesday. “If that is a physical space we will do everything to be able to make sure it’s accessible.”

Location has been a consistent barrier to the success of the lounges, specifically the DSL lounge, which can only accommodate a maximum of eight people––often even less if visitors are using a mobility aid. 

The lounges are currently not supported in the same way other cultural centers on campus are. Considering this, Schlotter and Kowash said they aim to support disabled and international students on the policy front as these programs search for a more permanent campus partner.

Both lounges will remain open until the end of Spring term.