After more than a year in committee, NIU has nothing to show for its efforts in better utilizing space in the Holmes Student Center or developing new space except for an empty recommendation.

The idea of an addition to the student center arose out of discussion about a separate building, the Student Life Center, proposed by Jon Dalton, former NIU vice president for Student Affairs. A student center space study committee was developed that first elected to analyze the usability of the current building’s space before even considering constructing more space.

But even after different people, including outside architects, were commissioned to analyze the space and determined there was not enought space to accommodate all goups, the committee came up with a recommendation that is weak at best.

The committee blindly recommended to NIU President John La Tourette that an addition be built without giving any specifics or funding suggestions. The only solid comment was from Student Association President Huda Scheidelman, who said she recognizes a need for more space but is “in complete opposition” to the project if it is financed by student fees.

For a group that has been studying student center space for so long, a recommendation that says “Yeah, a new addition sounds good” without any solid work or specifications is a waste of NIU’s time and money.

And if the plans are more specific, let the students know.