Renovations to the former financial aid office in the Education Building will make it a wonderful home for the Graduate Student Society, says its president.

“We are very much excited,” says Kannappan Thiagaraja, a master’s student of civil engineering. “The new grad space is going to provide enough room for people to have a get-together and hold functions. Our current building is really lacking space.”

The Board of Governors agreed at its meeting Tuesday to proceed to tender on a construction contract to provide:

• offices for the Graduate Student Society executive and staff;
• community space for graduate students, faculty, staff and visitors;
• a café style food outlet; and
• an outdoor patio and landscaping on the south side of the building.

The projected cost of $760,000 will be evenly split between the University and the society; the society will also cover an additional $110,000 for furniture and kitchen equipment.

Thiagaraja anticipates taking possession of the new space by September 2013.

A previous Grad House was demolished in 2006 to allow for the construction of the Medical Education Building. The University will convert the current building at 484 Sunset Avenue to green space once it is vacated, as part of the Campus Master Plan for the Sunset corridor.

Student Awards and Financial Aid relocated its offices to the east end of the Education Building earlier this year.