As 2010 has now turned into 2011, instead of making resolutions for the New Year, I wanted to share some predictions. These aren’t hopes or wishes, but more of what I think Northwestern could (and could not) be looking forward to in 2011.

Since President Morty Schapiro arrived at NU, we have seen the administration make several big steps in creating a more fun environment for students. We now have everything from the Great Room, Fran’s Café, and the Freshman Quad, to the funding for a campus-wide fall event, and now an Ice Rink on Norris East Lawn.

I think this is just the beginning. 2011 will be a year with big and long-lasting changes.

There are still big decisions that lie ahead for NU’s new administration. There has been plenty of lobbying for a New Student Center and a new coherent alcohol policy. I think the latter is more likely than the former. The New Student Center Initiative has failed to convince that it’s necessary without sounding excessive.

Norris became a campus-wide meeting place when Starbucks moved in, and since then it has successfully served as a hub for students. I’ve waited in the long lines at lunchtime and never had trouble finding a room to host a meeting. Sure, other schools have a bowling alley (Texas A&M) and a pub on campus (Dartmouth), but Norris has proven completely capable of housing our student body. Maybe add some better dining options, and it’ll be even more student-friendly.

More likely, I think this will be the year the administration produces a new alcohol policy. Interfraternity Council’s proposal to let fraternities become “wet” will be a start, but more than that, look for some new policies as a result of the $2 million Matthew Sunshine settlement. The settlement stipulated that administrators must conduct research on binge drinking and take a realistic and in-depth look at the rules students must follow in an alcohol-related emergency. However, I doubt that any new policy would include alcohol amnesty.

The University’s Strategic Plan, set to be released in 2011, is the new administration’s first shot at defining their vision of NU for the next 5 to 10 years. If the first year of the Schapiro administration was largely about learning about NU’s current culture, this will be their first stab at defining NU’s future. The new plan won’t be without controversy and surprises though. President Schapiro already mentioned that there would be an update to the quarter system that would have “major curricular implications.”

I think NU might be moving toward implementing a program similar to the January term that is in place at schools like Oberlin and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where students are required to enroll in a short-term experiential learning course, such as a study abroad trip or short internship.

2011 will be the year for NU basketball. I think NU will get its first-ever bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. Count on it coming down to the wire though. Only 12 games in, we’ve had several dominating performances. However, with the loss in Madison Square Garden to St. John’s, the team showed they are not yet ready to win the big game. Still it will be a big step for our program. Look out for an exciting February with many sold-out games once our Big Ten games start and for a nail-biting finish.

2011 will be a memorable year for NU. It is exciting to see the university go through so much change since what seemed like a stagnant few years on campus. I only wish I were going to be around to see the results.

Ben Rothschild is a Weinberg senior. He can be reached at [email protected].