The West Lagoon might soon have a new name.

The Operating Staff Council, which names campus buildings, recommended to NIU President John La Tourette that the lagoon be newly christened the “Lorusso Lagoon” after retired Campus Planner Anthony Lorusso.

Mary Crumbacher, physical plant secretary and a member of the OSC, said the idea was submitted to the OSC by Personnel Director Dale Parkhouse before Lorusso retired in March, 1989.

Parkhouse, who at one time worked in Lorusso’s office, said she thought of the name change years before submitting the idea.

The OSC circulated a petition for the change and collected more than 300 staff signatures. The committee also was “inundated” by letters of support, Crumbacher said.

Lorusso worked for NIU since 1950. “He was the person in charge when the (NIU) building boom came,” Crumbacher said.

Part of Lorusso’s job was was to map out the campus. “He did a lot for the beautification of NIU,” Parkhouse said.

Printing Manager and OSC president Shey Lowman said Lorusso helped create ecological balance and beauty on campus.

Lowman said the name change would be an “appropriate tribute” to Lorusso since he developed the layout for and oversaw the digging of the lagoon in the mid-1970s.

The OSC, which has 17 members, is awaiting La Tourette’s approval of the name change. Parkhouse said she is “hopeful” La Tourette will approve the change.

The OSC is not presently considering any other name changes for campus structures, Crumbacher said.