Spring Break
Murano says it's time to move forward with MSC
By: Calli Turner
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: News
President Elsa A. Murano said Thursday that she is pushing the Memorial Student Center renovation forward.
"When I came on board as president in January this project was already under way," she said. "As time was going on from January through the summer, nothing much was happening.
"If we're going to charge students a fee, we need to get cracking," Murano said. She asked to get immediately involved in the process.
No forward motion was made since the referendum vote in October, until Murano came aboard and the committees were selected.
Nick Petree, Memorial Student Center Council president, said a pause from action was needed to catch the administration up. Three administrations - Robert M. Gates, Eddie J. Davis and Murano - have convened during the renovation process.
"What we're doing now is going back with the new administration and re-evaluating our project," Petree said. "I do believe it was pushed back because of the change of administration."
Student Body President Mark Gold said the halt was temporary and necessary for the administration to regroup.
"I expect to see a drastic increase in the pace this is going about," he said.
The three committees for the renovation process are: the user committee, the advisory committee and the development strategy committee.
The user committee is tasked with compiling student, faculty and staff needs to present to the architect. The advisory committee is in place to ensure all levels of input are used and that the requirements and needs remain the same. The development strategy committee will organize and lead fund-raising efforts.
Chuck Sippial, vice president for facilities, and Kevin Jackson, assistant vice president for student affairs, co-chair the user committee.
Chad Wootton, vice president for development and strategic outreach with the Texas A&M Foundation, is the chairman for the development strategy committee.
Murano said the student fee is a challenge to former students, to raise more than the current students have.
"We want to light such a fire in the hearts and minds of the donors that the students can pay less," she said. "The less students pay, the better."
Lt. Gen Joe Weber, vice president for student affairs, chairs the advisory committee. Gold and Petree serve on the advisory and user committees.
Petree said he aims to include students by using focus groups, surveys and forums. "Every student will be involved indirectly," he said.
If student needs are questioned in the user committee, Gold said he will seek feedback from students, rather than voicing his opinion alone.
The committees were created to move the process forward. "There is accountability," Murano said. "You give [a person] a task; you set guidelines.
"We lost some time, but I think we'll be fine," Murano said. "We'll gain it."
"When I came on board as president in January this project was already under way," she said. "As time was going on from January through the summer, nothing much was happening.
"If we're going to charge students a fee, we need to get cracking," Murano said. She asked to get immediately involved in the process.
No forward motion was made since the referendum vote in October, until Murano came aboard and the committees were selected.
Nick Petree, Memorial Student Center Council president, said a pause from action was needed to catch the administration up. Three administrations - Robert M. Gates, Eddie J. Davis and Murano - have convened during the renovation process.
"What we're doing now is going back with the new administration and re-evaluating our project," Petree said. "I do believe it was pushed back because of the change of administration."
Student Body President Mark Gold said the halt was temporary and necessary for the administration to regroup.
"I expect to see a drastic increase in the pace this is going about," he said.
The three committees for the renovation process are: the user committee, the advisory committee and the development strategy committee.
The user committee is tasked with compiling student, faculty and staff needs to present to the architect. The advisory committee is in place to ensure all levels of input are used and that the requirements and needs remain the same. The development strategy committee will organize and lead fund-raising efforts.
Chuck Sippial, vice president for facilities, and Kevin Jackson, assistant vice president for student affairs, co-chair the user committee.
Chad Wootton, vice president for development and strategic outreach with the Texas A&M Foundation, is the chairman for the development strategy committee.
Murano said the student fee is a challenge to former students, to raise more than the current students have.
"We want to light such a fire in the hearts and minds of the donors that the students can pay less," she said. "The less students pay, the better."
Lt. Gen Joe Weber, vice president for student affairs, chairs the advisory committee. Gold and Petree serve on the advisory and user committees.
Petree said he aims to include students by using focus groups, surveys and forums. "Every student will be involved indirectly," he said.
If student needs are questioned in the user committee, Gold said he will seek feedback from students, rather than voicing his opinion alone.
The committees were created to move the process forward. "There is accountability," Murano said. "You give [a person] a task; you set guidelines.
"We lost some time, but I think we'll be fine," Murano said. "We'll gain it."
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