By Raya Abdel Baki ----

"What do students look for in a lounge?" was the question addressed by the student organizations in charge of refurbishing the sitting area in the engineering milk bar. With the joint efforts of the Student Representative Council of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Engineering Society, and the University Student Faculty Committee, the area has been transformed into a casual meeting space partitioned into several parts, each enjoying a special mood conveyed by the furniture and the decoration. SRC member Yusef Jawad explained the evolution of this idea, saying that students in general, and engineering students in particular were in need of a comfortable lounge where they could rest after classes, enjoy some TV, read a newspaper, or even discuss work. Previously, the lounge had consisted of a few plastic tables, some chairs and a TV set. Not a very appealing place. Now, thanks to the effort of some concerned students, the lounge offers various comfortable couches, a coffee vending machine, and a newspaper vending machine, which when approved by the University administration, would sell such newspapers as The Daily Star and Al Nahar at half price. The lounge is strictly a non-smoking area. Offenders face the possibility of getting a dean's warning. The new engineering lounge is a work in progress, and before the official opening, expected to take place shortly, the lounge will consist of a new 44-inch TV with cable, a surround sound system, air-conditioners, and light sensors. "The lounge," added Ayman Kishly, also involved in the preparations, "will open for engineering students on a 24-hour basis." Magnetic cards, sold to students at a meager price, will be used for late night entry. President of the SRC, Mohammad Shell, stressed the student contribution to the lounge, maintaining that the funding was made mainly by student organizations, and that the University would only provide such facilities as the air-conditioners and the light sensors. The new engineering lounge is the result of the hard work and cooperation of various students and personnel. While student representatives rushed from department to department, seeking the approval of their new project, University officials such as Dean Hajj of the FEA and Mrs. Katia Zakhem from Business Services, helped in speeding the arrival of chairs, tables, and plants, and smoothed out the paper work.