Loker Proposals Mulled

A series of recommendations which would give students direct input into the oversight of Loker Commons are under "active consideration," Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 said in an interview yesterday.

Lewis also said students will "certainly" participate in a body charged with the oversight of the commons, which is scheduled to open in the basement of Memorial Hall in early 1996.

According to Undergraduate Council executive Rudd W. Coffey '97, the proposals were approved unanimously late last spring by the Committee on House and College Life, a group consisting of students and administrators.

The proposals include requests that administrators:

* form a governing committee to set policies for the commons. The committee would consist of Undergraduate Council members, house masters, faculty and members of the central administration.

* designate the Loker Commons as an "undergraduate center." All decisions involving the complex would then be made with this principle in mind.

* establish dining policies under the principle that food is not the main attraction of the facility. The only goal of the food, the committee recommends, is that it be used to enhance undergraduate enjoyment of the commons.

The recommendations were first approved by a subcommittee consisting of Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III, Associate Dean of Freshmen W.C. Burriss Young '55, Lowell House Master William H. Bossert and council member Elizabeth A. Haynes '98, among others.

Students and council members had expressed concern last spring that the commons was being developed as more of a community center than a student center.

At the time, they said they were told that the University was mulling plans to kick out undergraduates who weren't eating during peak hours.

Lewis said last night that the "attractiveness of it to undergraduates and the utilization by undergraduates is clearly absolutely essential."

He said the recommendations would not formally be considered until the committee structure for the commons is determined.

Lewis said discussion of how to organize governance of the commons is ongoing and that more information might be available within a week.

Lewis said he was unsure about group's latter two recommendations.

Applying a principle such as "undergraduate center" leaves too much room for different interpretations and may not lead to reasonable solutions, Lewis said. And he said financial concerns should sometimes dictate food policies.

Members of the committee expressed strong support for the recommendations yesterday.

"The policies in the Science Center Greenhouse Cafe have come under attack because...students having coffee or studying have been asked to leave," Bossert said. "I think it was the agreement of the committee that this should not be the case here. This is a commons. It's not here to sell food as quickly as possible."

Whatever the final governance structure, Lewis said student participation in the oversight of Loker is guaranteed.

"There's no doubt in my mind that there should be student involvement in the committees," Lewis said. "There will certainly be an important committee of which there will be student members."

Undergraduate Council members said they were pleased with that decision.

"A lot of Loker will be determined as it goes along," Haynes said. "This is a really good thing for us. It's a really, really good thing for us, because it gives us a say in what happens.

Lewis said last night that the "attractiveness of it to undergraduates and the utilization by undergraduates is clearly absolutely essential."

He said the recommendations would not formally be considered until the committee structure for the commons is determined.

Lewis said discussion of how to organize governance of the commons is ongoing and that more information might be available within a week.

Lewis said he was unsure about group's latter two recommendations.

Applying a principle such as "undergraduate center" leaves too much room for different interpretations and may not lead to reasonable solutions, Lewis said. And he said financial concerns should sometimes dictate food policies.

Members of the committee expressed strong support for the recommendations yesterday.

"The policies in the Science Center Greenhouse Cafe have come under attack because...students having coffee or studying have been asked to leave," Bossert said. "I think it was the agreement of the committee that this should not be the case here. This is a commons. It's not here to sell food as quickly as possible."

Whatever the final governance structure, Lewis said student participation in the oversight of Loker is guaranteed.

"There's no doubt in my mind that there should be student involvement in the committees," Lewis said. "There will certainly be an important committee of which there will be student members."

Undergraduate Council members said they were pleased with that decision.

"A lot of Loker will be determined as it goes along," Haynes said. "This is a really good thing for us. It's a really, really good thing for us, because it gives us a say in what happens.