Christopher Payne, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, said the veteran’s center will be on the second floor of the Odum Village Community Center. He said $750,000 has been allocated to renovate the space.
“This was part of the Appropriations Act in the most recent (N.C. General Assembly) session,” he said. “This allocation was under the ‘repairs and renovation’ changes.”
Payne said Odum Village closed as a strategic decision. Amber Mathwig, student veterans assistance coordinator, said Odum Village shut down this school year because it failed to meet fire code regulations.
“Some of the money that was allocated to renovate that space is to bring it up to code,” Mathwig said. “The money is there to make sure that the space is safe and accessible and up to fire code.
“That’s one of the reasons that we’re not able to move in now.”
Mathwig said she is looking forward to working with student veterans in the upcoming space. She also said the space allows for veterans to work with and support each other.
“The new space in Odum Village is an opportunity for us to have a space specific to the veteran community, in which they know they can come down there and be given the opportunity to have a safe space away from the rest of the University,” she said.
“There are some very legitimate post-military transition concerns that are best addressed, you know, by people who are very knowledgeable of them.”
