University administrators approved requests from the student body, including better cell phone reception in in the main library and the Technological Institute, wireless Internet in Parkes Hall and Tech and more upperclassman housing. A group of students in the Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee proposed these changes and others after gathering opinions from the student body via surveys and forums during the year.
“We had a really generous year with administrators,” said Weinberg senior Jonathan Green, committee chairman. “They try and accommodate student priorities in their large decision making process, especially when they’re thinking about capital investments.”
The cell reception request comes after administrators approved a similar recommendation for Norris last year. As of now, new Wi-Fi availability is only for designated rooms in Parkes and Tech, but that may be expanded in the future, according to a UBPC press release.
Upperclassmen will soon be able to live in 1856 Orrington Residence Hall, after officials revamp it this summer with 24 spots in single and double rooms.
Other requests the administration granted are for more bike racks in high traffic areas, funding for the 2011 A&O Fall Blowout Concert, the 2015 convocation in SPAC, extracurricular scholarships for students who cannot afford to travel and grants for professors to meet with students outside of class.
Two proposals still under consideration are the possibility of a new student center and sustainable wind turbines on campus, as proposed by Engineers for a Sustainable World.
“There were just question marks about implementation,” Green said, adding that the new student center proposal has been part of UBPC’s recommendations for years.
Now that funding for this academic year is out of the way, new UBPC members are already getting involved, including Weinberg junior and ASG President Austin Young. But Green said that committee members do not come in with any preconceived notions of what they want funded.
“The novelty of our committee is we really try to listen to students,” he said.
Students can already go online to suggest ways to improve Northwestern that UBPC will consider during the following school year.