The Student Activities Fund Endowment Committee came to a general consensus Tuesday that the Healy Pub proposal should be among the primary recommendations for the $3.4 million dollar now-defunct endowment.
The committee also voted that the Georgetown Energy proposal would be among the primary recommendations.
Over the next few days, committee members will draft schemes of how they think the Georgetown University Student Association should allocate the money among the proposals remaining on the table for a final vote April 26.
The committee will vote on a final set of recommendations next week, which will then be submitted to the GUSA Finance and Appropriations Committee. A working group created by the committee will continue to develop the plans over the summer and ensure that they are feasible. Final plans will be put to a vote for approval by the student body in a general referendum next year.
At the meeting, the committee voted to recommend the Georgetown Energy proposal for the installment of solar panels on 43 university townhouses. Members said they would suggest that $170,000 go to the project, which advocates estimate will cost $163,399.
The committee also decided not to include the Social Innovation and Public Service Fund as one of their primary recommendations. While the initiative might still be selected for inclusion as a secondary recommendation — meaning that it would receive funding if primary projects do not prove feasible — committee members expressed concern that SIPS would not benefit enough students.
Additionally, a proposal that would support murals and artwork on campus was tabled.
Other proposals that remain in consideration include a plan to renovate part of the second floor of Lauinger Library, a proposal to contribute to the planned New South Student Center and the Healy Pub proposal. Members are increasingly referring to the pitch as the “Healy Space” proposal in an attempt to secure greater university approval.
On Sunday, the committee held an executive session closed to the public during which attendees reached consensus on several key issues, said Colton Malkerson (COL ’13) SAFE Committee vice-chairperson and GUSA Finance and Appropriations Committee chairperson.
Malkerson said the group generally agreed Sunday that while the idea behind the SIPS fund was an important one, it should not be included as a primary recommendation.
“One of the things I liked about the other proposals was that all students would benefit,” club sports representative Meredith Kolff (SFS ’13) said.
Much of the debate centered on to what extent the committee would fund the Healy space proposal.
“There’s a general consensus that the Healy space is something that could be pursued,” Malkerson said.
While most members agreed that the project should be among the primary recommendations, supporters still expressed reservations over the feasibility of the proposal.
“There would be a lot of roadblocks,” Committee Chairperson Andrew Curtis (MSB ’11) said.
Those on the committee said that Todd Olson, vice president of student affairs, expressed a willingness to consider the general idea of a pub space on campus. The idea is also being considered as part of the planned New South Student Center.
However, members said that the administration is opposed to the use of fundraising to support the project — something that was included in the original Healy Pub proposal.
“It would be really tough,” Curtis said. “But we owe it to students to give it a shot.”
