Iowa State student organizations are getting new offices in the Memorial Union, but not everybody’s happy about their turf.

An inadequate amount of space for the new offices has been a major complaint among many members of student organizations based in the Union.

Expanded office space was touted as a benefit of the Union’s recent renovation. The new offices are located across the hall from the Panda Express.

The student organizations new offices are modernly furnished with wall dividers and new carpet. The offices are made up of large communal work areas.

Kathy Svec, marketing coordinator for the Memorial Union, is hopeful the student organizations will move into their new offices by the end of the week.

The application process for office space usually starts in the spring for the following fall, but this year it did not start until the beginning of fall. An ad was placed in the Daily informing organizations to apply for office space.

The application process involves many steps. “There is a list of criteria that student organizations need to meet. They also need to go to a hearing,” Svec said. The board makes allegations on what they see is fit.

Groups can appeal allocation decisions.

Jay Joblinske is the vice president of Student Union Board, the governing body that assigns offices to student organizations.

“The criteria varied. There wasn’t any certain one we went by. The assigning of the offices depended on size of the organization, and the needs of the organization,” Joblinske said. “We had hearings so we could know the needs of organizations. That was the most important consideration in distributing the offices.”

The organizations who were unhappy with their decisions had two chances to appeal. Last week, the first appeals were held and on Monday night the second appeals were held.

The allocations are now final, meaning groups still unhappy will have to wait until the spring.

Among the most upset are many student Hispanic organizations. Paula Plasencia, president of Mexican-American Young Achiever’s Society (MAYAS), said the Hispanic organizations need an office, not separate cubicles.

“All the organizations work together, share information and resources. All of our Hispanic organizations are national organizations, and we get information from outside places,” Plasencia said.

“An activities calendar is used by all four Hispanic organizations in the office, and without an office, I don’t see how we will be able to utilize it,” Plasencia said. Bulletin board space is also a major concern among the Hispanic organizations.

The four Hispanic organizations currently share a computer.

Roxana Lopez, a senior in political science and international student secondary education, also disapproves of the new office space. “The office is a meeting place for everyone. We need an office to voice our concerns,” Lopez said.

“With the renovating we are not gaining security, but we are losing it,” added Guillermo Schrupp-Revero, president of Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and a GSB senator.

The Hispanic organizations received four, separate cubicles in the new office area. VEISHEA officials have also voiced concerns about their allocated space.

But SUB officials say it’s a matter of not being able to please everyone.

Some of the new offices are smaller, Joblinske said, but everyone who applied this year for an office received an office. “With the new set-up, we are able to fit more organizations into the area,” Joblinske said.

There are also conference rooms where organizations can meet.

“Any major problems can be fixed next semester,” Joblinske said.