Representatives from the NIU Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management have been visiting residence hall council meetings to show students the proposed infrastructural changes to campus.

They have also been gathering student input through surveys and gathering support before the initiatives go before the Illinois Board of Higher Educationon Dec. 7.

Michael Stang, executive director of Housing and Dining, discussed at a Douglas hall council meeting Tuesday night the new residence hall to be built north of Lincoln and the projects approved by the NIU Board of Trustees Oct. 31.

The BOT approved $135 million worth of bonds for the renovation of several residence halls and Holmes Student Center, the construction of an intramural sports complex and the improvement of parking, roads and bike paths on campus. The projects need to be approved before Dec. 31 for NIU to take advantage of Build America Bonds, offered by the federal government as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The federal government will pay up to 35 percent of the interest annually on the bonds.

“It’s a good time to be going out for projects like this,” Stang said.

Stang said the initiatives are in the early development stage and there is “a lot of opportunity for student input.”

The different measures provide “something for everyone,” he said, and the projects “really need to happen on campus.”

Junior history major Jamie Price said she disagrees that all of the proposed projects are necessary, but supports the renovation of Gilbert Hall, HSC, parking lots and the intramural sports complex.

“I think the new residence hall is a dumb idea because they have Gilbert Hall that they can put people in,” she said.

The new residence hall, which has already been approved by the BOT and IBHE, is expected to be completed by fall 2012 and will include a dining hall and single rooms at housing costs similar to those of Stevenson singles, Stang said.

He said the downside of the project is that parking lots near Grant would need to be removed to make way for the new residence hall.

“That’s a big downside,” said transfer pre-nursing major Julie Garcia.

At least eight parking lots will be expanded, repaired or replaced on campus in accordance with the new initiatives.

Stang said the plan to improve parking shows “recognition that parking is an issue on campus.”

As soon as Grant C tower reopens in the fall of 2011, construction on Grant D tower will begin, Stang said.

Gilbert hall will reopen as a residence hall with updated bathrooms, lounge, meeting spaces and better accessibility for the disabled.

Stang said NIU is “a year or two” away from the decision of whether Gilbert will be marketed towards junior and senior students by allowing them to have a reduced meal plan.

Junior history major Vito Denicolo said NIU should fix buildings and complexes that already exist before building new ones.

“There are [already] enough places to hang out [on campus],” he said.

Junior history major Stefanie Luisi said she agrees that current buildings should be remodeled.

“The bathrooms [in DuSable] really bug me,” she said.

The HSC will become easier to navigate and the bookstore will be remodeled. The proposed outdoor sports complex will include lighted fields for intramural and club sports.

Freshman undeclared major Anna Rivard said the proposals will not address her main concerns about campus.

“They need kitchens in the dorms and parking that is close to the dorms and dorms that are close to classes,” she said.

Peter Post, sophomore computer science and communications major, said he would have like to have more information about the parking changes, but overall, approves of the initiatives.

“I think [the changes] are a pretty good idea,” he said. “I’m for them.”

A graduated increase in student fees will pay for the projects that will initially be funded by the $135 million bonds. The increases will be assessed starting in the fall semester of 2011 at $25 per student living in the residence halls and be capped at $122 per student living in the residence halls per semester in academic year 2014-15.

Luisi said she was surprised by the fees she was paying for this semester.

“I’m paying how much for fees, and will I even use [what the fees pay for]?” she said.

Price said she thinks the incremental increase of fees is a good idea.

“For students who are going to be graduated by the time the changes are made, that’s not good.” Price said. “But if they charge students who are going to be using those resources, that’s more sensible.”