Additional funding for club sports, a refurnished Norris University Center and a string of other campus improvements were approved in late May by the University Planning and Budget Group.
This decision came after months of research, meetings and student polls including a student survey conducted on Associated Student Government’s HereAndNow Web site in February, undertaken by the Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee and later presented to administrators.
“Before we (UBPC) make our recommendations, we focus on four main things: the poll, our research, faculty meetings and the student vibe,” said Kevin Rodrigues, UBPC committee member and Weinberg senior.
This year, the collaboration of the two groups arrived at 11 initiatives for campus improvement.
These decisions were made based on the UBPC proposal, urgency, practicality and cost effectiveness, said Senior Vice President for Business and Finance Eugene Sunshine.
Administrators also approved the exploration of the feasibility of a South Campus coffeehouse, an item that garnered strong student support in the online student poll.
The budget allocated $84,000 for improvements in Norris, including replacing first-floor lounge furniture and creating a “smart” meeting room.
Lighting on campus will continue to be “aggressively” addressed, with the committee’s recommendations of more lighting on North Campus and in the Fraternity Quads and along Hinman Avenue being taken into account.
Club sports will receive a budget increase of $35,000 to be directed towards club costs and transportation costs.
An accessibility initiative will receive an additional $50,000 to improving wheelchair accessibility on campus.
The demolition and reconstruction of Shanley Pavilion was debated, and ultimately the decision was made that $35,000 will be given for the building’s renovations.
Ryan Family Auditorium in Technological Institute will receive an upgrade to its audiovisual capabilities, with work beginning this summer to make the improvements.
Occupancy levels in residential colleges will be examined as well as the quality of the programs currently offered.
University Career Services will receive $20,000 to create a resource center in University Library, although this plan is contingent upon the library’s appropriation of space for the project.
A committee of Weinberg faculty members has been asked to review the international studies program because of growing student interest, particularly in the area of international diplomacy.
While student response to the online survey also indicated a desire for the creation of an airport shuttle and a music downloading system, funding limitations and practicality prevented these from being included in the plan for 2006, according to administrators.
“I am very happy with the way things turned out this year,” Rodrigues said. “Usually funding totals around $250,000, but this year it was probably around $300,000 to $350,000.”
But Sunshine said the change is as it should be. While evaluating the proposals, “we don’t want to arbitrarily assign a price cap, because it colors the evaluation process, we base our decisions on quality not money,” Sunshine said.
In past years, through this committee’s recommendations, NU has seen a large increase in funding from the budget directed toward wheelchair access, additional equipment at Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center and funding to LGBT programs.
Reach Virginia VanZanten at [email protected].
