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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

IUSA proposes more clocks

Students express desires for more access to time

Late for class? Not wearing a watch?\nThe IU Student Association wants to alleviate this situation and has issued a formal proposal to get a series of external post clocks to be placed around campus.\n"We think it will improve the quality of student life," said senior Steven Bierly, IUSA treasurer and sponsor of the proposal.\n"It will allow students to be outside and enjoy the beauty of campus and still be on time for their classes," said IUSA President senior Meredith Suffron, another sponsor of the bill.\nIUSA is suggesting between five and 15 post clocks be placed "near paths along which students walk to their classes." The new post clocks would also be synchronized with all the other clocks on campus, creating a universal "IU time" for the campus, according to the proposal.\n"I think it would add a lot to the campus. It's a great idea," said University Division Representative Brian Daviduke, a sophomore.\nThe proposal was sent to 15 different administrators for consideration, including IU President Myles Brand. IUSA members said they want to coordinate meetings with decision-makers to discuss the proposal. The group would like to begin the process of looking for funding as soon as possible, Bierly said, which will include a meeting with the president of IU Foundation. The group will be meeting with Vice President of Administration J. Terry Clapacs and Assistant Vice President and University Architect Robert Meadows Tuesday to discuss the proposal.\n"We will be asking them for their feedback on the proposal, and also finding out more information about the procedures and logistics that are involved in a plan like this and how we should proceed," Suffron said.\nThe proposal contains three different plans for the amount and placement of the clocks on campus. The plans range from having 15, 11 and five clocks in various locations.\n"I think they would really add to the beauty of the campus," said Jeff Wuslich, a freshman and another University Division Representative.\nIUSA has outlined several different ways to fund the clocks in their proposal. Among the ways are donations from student groups, greek houses, residence halls and alumni. A plaque with the donators name will then be put on the base of clock, Bierly said. The clocks range in price from $8,000 to $15,000 depending on the style, Daviduke said.\nThe original idea for putting clocks on campus came up during student government elections last spring. The idea became a part of Platinum ticket platform, which all four executives of IUSA and most of the members of Congress ran under last year.\n"We want to fulfill our promise we made to the students," Bierly said.\nSince the election, the proposal has become an idea supported by all of IUSA, Suffron said, adding that they have received overwhelming support for the plan from Congress.\nDuring the summer, Bierly and Suffron started working out the details and putting together the proposal. They talked to Brand briefly about the idea and he was very positive about the project and encouraged them to write up a proposal, Bierly said.\nBierly and Suffron said they, along with all of IUSA, are excited about the positive feedback they are receiving from students about the idea.\n"We have been getting a lot of student support," Bierly said.\nSuffron added, "A lot of students think it is a great idea. And many of them are wondering why we never had any before." \nThe specific time frame for when the clocks will be installed on campus is not yet certain, Bierly said, but he said ideally they would like to see the plan implemented by next summer.\n"We have to realize that changes in campus can take a long time ... the effects may not be seen this year, but at least the process is started. The ball is rolling," Wuslich said.

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