A new committee will evaluate and select designs and solutions for the repair of the Holmes Student Center tower.

The formation of a new committee was announced at Wednesday’s Student Center Advisory Committee meeting.

Physical plant project manager Conrad Miller recommended a committee to “review proposals sumbmitted by architectural firms.” The committee will look over options “as a university” for different surfaces for the tower, such as brick, glass or metal, he said.

Miller said the intent of the committee is to make a selection of a firm and have the repairs completed by the fall 1988 semester.

He said there are nine members on committee, which has not been named, but the membership probably will grow within the next few days. He said he has spoken with Student Association President Jim Fischer and advisory committee chairman Dave Stern about other student groups and organizations who would be interested in serving on the committee.

The committee adopted a resolution by Stern to spend extra money, if necessary, on repairs to the center to ensure long-term cost effectiveness.

Tower repairs are estimated to cost $923,000. Stern recommended at the Jan. 24 SA meeting that an additional $100,000 be spent, if it is necessary, to insure the bricks will not have to be replaced again in the near future.

The resolution, which was made at the Jan. 24 SA meeting, will be voted on by the SA senate at their Jan. 31 meeting.

A majority of senators supported the resolution at the Jan. 24 meeting through a show of hands.

Universitiy Food Service Director Bob Fredrickson addressed a committee question about whether students are subsidizing the Pheasant Room, which is considered to be a faculty and staff restaurant.

Fredrickson said the Pheasant Room received a net income of $9,500 before adding overhead costs. He said the Pheasant Room could not stand alone, but as part of the food service it is a “viable operation that does make a profit.”

The committee tabled a discussion on a recommendation to give students a discount rate at the four NIU food services—the Pheasant Room, the Pow-Wow, the Blackhawk and the catering service.

Fredrickson recommended a charge-card plan in conjuction with the discount. The plan, an incentive for more people to use the restuarants, would make up for the loss in revenue from giving the discount, he said. “We need to make the package attractive to get more people to use it and recapture what we’re dropping,” he said.