Livingston Campus Council members put together the building blocks to install more benches and tables around Livingston campus and voted to endorse the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group’s concept plan at their Monday meeting.
Council members announced they received the funding from the University and the benches and tables will be installed in the Quads Residence Hall plaza.
They received $8,800 and got approval from several different departments to install two more tables in the plaza, two tables in front of the Towers Residence Hall entrance and a bench in front of the library, council Treasurer Anthony Weingard said.
“Housing is on board, residence [life] is on board and the [University] landscape architect, he supported it,” said Weingard, a Rutgers Business School sophomore.
There are only three tables in the Quads plaza area, which seats roughly 12 people, he said. Installing the tables and benches would allow more students to enjoy the outdoors rather than stay in their residence halls.
“As the weather gets nicer, they’re obviously going to want to be outside rather than stay indoors,” Weingard said. “[Students] can go outside, have a place to do work, be productive and take advantage of it.”
Council 2012 Representative Ross Kleiman said adding more tables and benches would bring the campus population together, but there may be a problem with noise if more people are going to be spending time outside.
“I think that benches and tables would allow us to create a better sense of community,” said Kleiman, a School of Engineering sophomore. “Regarding the noise issue that might occur, that would have to be played by ear. If that becomes a problem, maybe something will have to be done about that, in terms of RA’s patrolling the Quads … or some sort of issue that facilities would look into.”
Council members also approved a resolution regarding NJPIRG’s concept plan.
NJPIRG will be reapplying for a referendum in the spring 2010 semester to reestablish the group as a special organization under University Senate guidelines, allowing them to receive funding by adding a waiveable fee of about $11 to student term bills.
The council voted unanimously to endorse the concept plan, which aims to provide the University Senate with information about NJPIRG’s values and goals and show the senate that the group works for students and has educational value, which the guidelines require for any organization to receive special funding.
Council President Winiris DeMoya said it is important that the council endorses NJPIRG because both organizations have worked together in the past for several causes, such as registering people to vote and a rally for health care.
“I think an organization like NJPIRG is a valuable asset to the University, and when it comes to having them to potentially go up for referendum, it’s important that they have the support of the student government, because [student government] is a reflection of students in general,” said DeMoya, a Rutgers College senior.
NJPIRG Campaign Coordinator Sarah Clader said if the organization were not funded under these special guidelines, they would not be able to work as efficiently as they do now.
“We are able to do all these things, like register people to vote, because every three years Rutgers students vote through a big referendum to fund us through a waiveable fee that appears on their term bill,” Clader said.
NJPIRG works to promote awareness about several different issues through campaigns such as hunger and homelessness and voting, and the organization works in conjunction with New Jersey Community Water Watch, she said.
Working with student government in the past shows that the organization has educational value, which is why NJPRIG asked the council to endorse their concept plan, Clader said.
“Since we’ve worked with LCC in the ‘Get out the Vote’ campaign and health care, we would be happy for [the council] to endorse NJPRIG [because] NJPIRG has educational value,” she said.
DeMoya said the organization’s members not only educate students at the University and in other communities throughout the state, but they also work to help these communities through hands-on, positive campaigns.
“They’re not only valuable as an educational tool, they’re valuable in the community of students,” she said. “That’s why we feel we should support them.”
Council improves Quad plaza, endorses NJPIRG
Published: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Updated: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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