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Last year UNK made a controversial choice to replace a portion of its already scarce parking with a green space. Now they plan to tear down Randall and Mantor halls to expand it further.
UNK director of construction, Amanda Waller, said how more green space affects the views on campus.
“Every time I drive by Louie’s grand statue and field to roam, I am filled with a great feeling of pride toward the spirit of UNK,” Waller said. “We need more of that.”
According to Waller, students also seem happy to see and use the green space. They even prefer it over the sidewalk.
“Looking outside and between the dorms, there are always students walking around and enjoying the green space,” Waller said. “It is actually starting to cause a problem since it is killing the grass.”
Students might not be as optimistic about the change.
When asked about the renovation plans, sophomore business major Mike Murdock disagreed with the school.
“I mean it isn’t the most comfortable dorm building to live in, but we like it,” Murdock said. “Where are we going to sleep?”
Waller thinks that the move for Randall and Mantor residents to another dorm will go smoothly.
“The relocation of students is not really my business, but I am confident that the school will do what is best for them,” Waller said. “My job is just to keep construction nonstop.”
Murdock said he was worried about the move, since Nester rooms are being double-booked next year.
“I had to work hard to be put into a Nester room with people I liked,” Murdock said. “Now I am also roomed with freshmen strangers.”
A line of dead grass can be seen going across the green space due to people walking over it.
“We used to just walk through a parking lot to get to classes, no harm done,” Murdock said. “Now we have to kill foliage to save time.”
Despite the mocking the monument gets, Louie might be getting a family to fill the new lot. The school has started commissioning more statues.
“I have seen state-signed receipts for more statues than I know what to do with,” Waller said. “It looks like Louie is getting a herd and it is large.”
Not all funding is coming without sacrifices to other parts of campus.
“This project is taking a large cut of money that would usually be used in the cafeteria,” Waller said. “Hopefully that doesn’t have repercussions.”
Students should also prepare for a rise in tuition fees so that the school can afford the project.
“We have to pay for this,” Murdock said. “That is outrageous. Why? Nobody asked for it in the first place.”
