An upcoming campus environment survey sparked discussion at University Council.

The survey, concerning student opinions and attitudes about the NIU campus atmosphere, came as a result of the Strategic Planning Task Force, said Provost Ray Alden.

“One of the issues that was inherent over and over again, both in the strategic plan and from what we’ve heard from the campus community, is the need to make sure that we knew what the climate was on campus,” Alden said.

The survey, which will likely occur early during the spring semester, will be conducted by a national firm and analyze what students feel about their priorities on campus and satisfaction levels with the school, Alden said.

The survey should consist of a sample of between 2,500 and 3,000 students, he said.

The survey will be conducted from a random sample to avoid bias and balance the sample group, NIU President John Peters said.

“I’m hoping that any of the students that get a request take it seriously because, like a Nielsen family, you represent a fairly sizable population of your peers,” Alden said.

The survey will take place in two phases. After the first survey concerning student issues, a second survey will be conducted taking into consideration the opinions of faculty and staff, Alden said.

The lack of a capital bill to fund Stevens Building renovations was also discussed at University Council.

“We still have no capital bill,” Peters said.

The Stevens Building renovations are the top priorities concerning a capital bill, said Linda Derscheid, graduate faculty chair for family, consumer and nutrition sciences.

Acquiring the funding for renovating Faraday Hall took 10 years, so patience might be necessary for the Stevens Building, Derscheid said.

“We are waiting on Stevens, but we are not patient,” Peters said. “We have to remind people continually of the need. In this environment, people can forget.”

Currently, state legislature is working on several bills that concern funding for NIU, Peters said.