NIU’s Master Plan Thesis would transform the campus with “green” buildings and more activities for students, but the ideas don’t come without worries.

The main goals of the Master Plan Thesis, developed under NIU President Doug Baker, are to add activity and energy to the campus, provide more places students can go and to prioritize investments.

Ideas presented at a Student Association Senate meeting Sunday included bringing food trucks to the campus on Fridays and making the campus more pedestrian-friendly so community members can walk across campus more easily.

While the ideas are not sure to be implemented, Ron Walters, a consultant to Baker, hopes to accomplish many of them.

“Well, this was something just done in the spirit of exploring possibilities. This is far from being a plan that we will be implementing; it is simply to recognize that there are a lot of different fronts in which we need to be exploring in ways to provide better student experiences,” Walters said.

Concerns

SA Senate Speaker Dillon Domke and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Donovan had different concerns about the Master Plan Thesis and how it will affect NIU.

“I think the money is a secondary issue relative to if we do end up actually making renovations,” Donovan said.

Donovan said one of the ideas mentioned by Walters was replacing Douglas Hall with a new residence hall, but Donovan, who wants housing costs to remain the same, is concerned such a change could raise the cost on-campus living. If costs do rise, Donovan said some students may struggle to find on-campus housing they can afford.

“The quickest way to further our retention problem is to make it too expensive for students to go here,” Donovan said.

Domke said making small changes that will not cost millions of dollars can snowball into larger changes that would take more time and money. He said these changes can make the campus more appealing to future and present students.

“Right now the university lacks that wow factor when you come here,” Domke said. “And I think you know when you go to a job interview, the first impression you make on your could be employer is everlasting. I mean, you come off Annie Glidden and there is not too much to see.”

Looking ahead

For now, the university is seeing what can be implemented for the fall. Planners are focused on parts of campus students don’t use because they want to provide opportunities for students in that unused space.

One change Walters has already helped implement is clearing snow off the East Lagoon, turning the water into a place where students can skate. Domke and Donovan appreciated the change.

“That’s an example of something where we just look around and notice what’s happening right now and saying ‘We see what the problem is, but what is the opportunity in this?’” Walters said.

Walters said starting to put into action some of the ideas allows for more student involvement on campus. He said the Master Plan thesis ideas can provide opportunities for students to get internships, jobs and let their creativity show.

“[The Master Plan Thesis] is just one of many things that is important for us to be looking at … to achieve student career success and how do we all work together in the spirit of ethically inspired leadership to create thriving communities in a way that is financially sustainable,” Walters said.