New marquee planned

This archived article was written by: Kelli Burke-Gabossi

CEUSA plans to have an electronic marquee built to replace the current marquee on 300 East and 400 North to give CEU a professional outlook using student technology fees and the CEUSA legacy fund. The student technology fees help pay for wireless internet on campus for students in addition to general computer lab support, software, equipment, and protection systems. Chief Information Officer Eric Mantz and his staff have initiated a way to use less computers in the main labs (but still have the same amount of workstations) and thus provided a hardware savings which allowed for technology fees to be contributed to the project this year. “We usually don’t have student technology fees to contribute like this, but this year using fee carry forwards and combining funds from these two accounts makes this a possibility” Mantz said. While the physical installation may not happen until the USU/CEU merger is complete, this is an effort by current CEUSA leadership.
Expanding on the idea of the 2006-2007 Student Fee allocation Committee, this year’s student government officers decided to move forward with the plan. It is estimated to cost between $15 thousand and $40 thousand. “It is difficult for some to see us spending money when we are having budget cuts, but this money can’t go toward the cuts or to help faculty or staff keep their positions. It has been set aside for something like this,” Willy Woodruff, student body president stated.
There is a possibility of having three smaller marquees around campus, along with the main marquee that will be placed where the current one is located. “I think it’s a great idea. It’s necessary. It also shows that we are ready to make choices and move forward,” Woodruff said.
According to Woodruff, there is no confirmation on a designer or builder, but CEUSA will look in Salt Lake for a sign, possibly bid with a contractor, and hope for the local community to help build the marquee.
“It will be a full-color electronic sign and display events and what’s happening at CEU. It will at least be as big as the white area in the current marquee,” Woodruff said. An idea for its design is that it will look similar to the red rock similar to the Eagle on the northwestern side of the Reeves Building. Right now, nothing is definite regarding the design and layout of the marquee, but CEUSA is open for opinions.
“I think we need it. The element of making it electronic would be good too because it would be easy to update,” CEUSA Director Todd Olsen said.
Groups and clubs will be able to post event information and other news through various channels as the information should be updated easily through software connected through the computer network.