The administration's plans to convert the Chancellor Green rotunda into a library were derailed, at least temporarily, at the U-Council meeting yesterday afternoon, after students bombarded University officials with complaints that the administration neither informed students about the plans nor solicited their input.
During a tense meeting that administrators struggled to control, students argued that the two-level Chancellor Green rotunda should continue to serve as a cafe and location for special events, like the annual Salsa Party or Chinese New Year celebration.
Administrators — who earlier in the meeting presented their detailed plans as already finalized and said the issue only appeared on the meeting agenda "by popular demand," according to Provost Jeremiah Ostriker — conceded that additional discussion with students on the proposal would be necessary before renovations would proceed.
Associate provost Allen Sinisgalli said afterward he was "distressed" and "frustrated" by the agitation over what he said should be a decision made by administrators, not students.
Referring to the 744 signatures on a petition to maintain the Chancellor Green rotunda as a social space, Sinisgalli said, "I think most people would sign anything. I don't think those 744 people have ever been to that place."
To avoid excessively antagonizing the University administrators themselves, U-Council president Teddy Nemeroff '01 and USG president PJ Kim '01 encouraged students to attend the meeting and criticize the plans to convert Chancellor Green, Kim said.
Director of Physical Planning Jon Hlafter '61 began the discussion by explaining the University's plans to convert the rotunda into a humanities library and install a cafe that would serve beverages and snacks in the basement of Chancellor Green during renovations between 2001 and 2003.
University librarian Karin Trainer said the library would meet students' need for more study space and benefit humanities departments.
Though some at the meeting suggested the University had failed to seek student input about the conversion, Vice President and Secretary Thomas Wright '62 conceded that "undergraduates were belatedly solicited" through a Website asking for input, about which students were not informed.
Only one undergraduate submitted input to the Website, Sinisgalli said.
While Wright said the administration received "a lot of input" from graduate students, he conceded the students who submitted their opinions were largely from humanities departments, which would be housed in the renovated building.
Some students were not satisfied with the explanations for the conversion. Kim said the outpouring of student concern on the issue meant "[administrators] can't just do business as usual, which is to steam roll it through."
Lauren Peccoralo '01 agreed. "Essentially Chancellor Green is a study space now," she said, adding that the space is also used to host parties and hold performances — functions that administrators have said would not be possible in the library.
"I don't think one space can achieve all that you want it to do," Sinisgalli responded.
After more criticism, Ostriker capitulated to demands for more student input on the issue. "I think we've opened a conversation on this that will be very helpful," he said, interrupting Kim in mid-sentence.
He repeatedly tried to curtail debate on Chancellor Green, saying that the need to discuss the Wythes report precluded more discussion. "We only have so many CPUC meetings," he said.
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