PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 25, No. 12, Dec. 15, 2005

Student Affairs will continue to manage Assembly Hall

By Sharita Forrest, Assistant Editor
217-244-1072; slforres@uiuc.edu

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will retain administrative control of Assembly Hall, but the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics will oversee plans to renovate the facility and raising the funds to make those refurbishments happen, under a new arrangement announced by Chancellor Richard Herman recently.

Herman, who had considered giving DIA full control over Assembly Hall as was recommended in a 2003 study, said that feedback from students had persuaded him that administrative control of the facility need not be changed if he could ensure that the planning and fundraising for the renovation program proceeded.

The study recommended that DIA assume administrative responsibility for Assembly Hall because DIA would be better equipped to raise the $60 million to 70 million needed. The renovations, which include installing air conditioning, expanding the lobby, upgrading patron seats and adding more restrooms and concession facilities, would make the aging facility more competitive in booking events and compliant with safety and accessibility codes, the study said.

Herman’s decision was “responsive to the students’ petition” and they were satisfied that Student Affairs would retain control over programming at Assembly Hall, said William Riley, interim vice chancellor for student affairs. “We’ll continue to be very supportive of and responsive to DIA’s needs to use Assembly Hall maximally but still be able to bring programs that are important to students and the community.”

However, with several other higher-priority construction and renovation projects that also entail raising private funds – including $145 million in renovations to Memorial Stadium – it may be two or three years before fundraising begins for the Assembly Hall project.

“It may be more important then to look at where Assembly Hall is administratively when (Athletic Director Ron Guenther) is out there talking to people about putting money into the project,” Riley said. “Creating the architectural drawings and deciding what ought to be done with it can go on in the interim.”

The Illinois Student Senate and the Assembly Hall Advisory Committee voiced strong opposition to the proposal to transfer administrative control of Assembly Hall to DIA. Students said that they feared that DIA would be less responsive to their interests and would make Assembly Hall solely a sports venue, offering less cultural programming.

Students also were concerned about the possibility of a fee hike to fund the renovation program. Part of the general fee that students pay each semester supports Assembly Hall and other auxiliary service units, such as the Division of Campus Recreation and McKinley Health Center. The general fee, which applies to all students and cannot be waived, is $211 per semester for the fall 2005 and spring 2006 semesters, $68 of which goes to Assembly Hall.

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