The creation of a coffeehouse on South Campus and renovations to Norris University Center topped the list of priorities the Undergraduate Budget Priority Committee recommended to Northwestern officials Thursday, said a member of UBPC.
The UBPC recommendations are different from student responses to an online poll conducted last week on the HereandNow Web site. The survey indicated students want more money for club sports, creation of an airport shuttle, a coffeehouse, Norris renovations and a music downloading system.
The committee has to weigh the students responses with the practicality of the recommendations, said Erik Neinstedt, UBPC chairman and a Communication senior.
Even though a music downloading system was recommended by students, it was not included on UBPC’s list of 10 recommendations.
“Administration gave us information that (music downloading) wouldn’t fit into this year’s budget,” Neinstedt said.
Administrators at the presentation played devil’s advocates on a lot of recommendations, but were particularly receptive to a South Campus coffeehouse, renovations to Norris and updates to on-campus housing, he said.
University President Henry Bienen was worried about giving additional funding to club sports, Neinstedt said. The committee recommended increasing funding by $49,500.
“Bienen was worried about where that money (would be) spent,” Neinstedt said.
Also, the administration was “shaky” about the reconstruction of Shanley Pavilion, but was receptive to renovations, he said. Eventually, officials plan to have theaters in Norris and will tear down Shanley.
Administrators will discuss the UBPC recommendations within the next two months and will base their final decision on cost and practicality. However, the final decision ultimately will be made by the Board of Trustees when it approves the budget, said Senior Vice President for Business and Finance Eugene Sunshine.
“We take (UBPC) priorities very much to account because it reflects very careful thought and dialogue,” Sunshine said. “The presentation has pulsed the student body.”
Other recommendations included the establishment of an International Diplomacy Program and a Center for Civic Engagement, but these would be difficult for administrators to make happen because they are academic decisions. It is not the place of administrators to budget for this, but best left to individual departments, Sunshine said.
“Some of these things that might be more complicated,” he said. “We have much broader priorities (to) support research structure, (our priorities are on) a more global level.”
The committee compiled these recommendations after reviewing responses from two online polls. The first allowed students to respond in a blank box suggesting any changes. The other asked students to rank their top five choices from a list of 15 recommendations.
After considering UBPC’s recommendations last year, officials allocated $125,000 to replace gym equipment at two campus gyms, $100,000 for improvements to School of Music buildings and $10,000 to furnish a study area in the University Library.
Reach Ashima Singal at [email protected].
