Senior marshals present gift proposals

After months of consideration, senior class leaders will announce their top three ideas for the senior class gift today.

One option is a welcome sign at the entrance to campus outside McCorkle Place on Franklin Street.

Also under consideration is an artistic mural to be placed somewhere on campus.

The third choice is an advising department endowment to provide additional training for academic advisors.

Detailed information on the three gifts will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in Polk Place.

Senior Class President Bobby Whisnant said he is excited about the three choices.

"I think we have a really good mix," he said. "These are three gifts that students can be excited about and proud about giving back to the University."

Today's release marks the end of months of planning that went into the selection of the choices.

The fundraising committee has been working since March to formulate ideas. Its members spoke with University administration, various academic departments, housekeeping and other groups to investigate what is needed on campus, Whisnant said.

The committee presented 10 ideas to the marshals, who then voted for the top three.

Seniors will vote for their favorite option during Homecoming elections Nov. 1.

Whisnant said his hope for the senior class is for it to leave a blueprint for future classes.

He said he realizes the choices the marshals selected will not please everyone, but he said the diverse staff of marshals represent the senior class well.

"I don't think seniors realize how much planning goes into (the selection)," Whisnant said. "Most seniors are not aware that the process started last spring."

Once the gift is selected, raising funds becomes the crucial concern for the class marshals.

Ada Wilson, fundraising chairwoman for the senior marshals, said fundraising efforts will start next semester.

Senior leaders said they did not know how much each of the three gift options will cost. Specifics of how money will be raised will depend on which gift is selected, Wilson said.

Senior student pledges make up a large part of fundraising efforts.

Wilson said she has been working with the Office of University Development to come up with innovative ways to raise money and obtain student pledges, but she refused to go into detail, citing complications in the project.

In the interest of appealing to an even wider net of seniors, the class marshals are considering other efforts besides the class gift to leave a legacy on campus, Whisnant said.

Ideas include a senior arboretum clean-up day, planting flowers on campus and selling senior bricks that can be engraved and placed in walkways.

The class gift is traditionally meant to represents the spirit of the class and provide an opportunity for graduating seniors to give back to the University.

Previous gifts include a 9/11 Memorial Garden, the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Excellence Fund and the Robert B. House Undergraduate Library Endowment, from the classes of 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively.

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.