While terrace chairs in their usual colors are a sign of spring, the blue chairs that appeared at Memorial Union yesterday are a sign of ongoing fundraising for renovations to the building.
The new “Mendota Blue” terrace chairs are part of a fundraiser to raise money for the union renovation project, which begins this summer. Donors who give $1,000 to the project will receive one of the blue terrace chairs, with incentives for smaller donations as well.
The Mendota Blue campaign hopes placing the blue terrace chairs in the public view will publicize the cause. Memorial Union Project Coordinator Jacklyn John said its goal is to raise $500,000 by the end of July, when the novel chairs will leave the terrace.
But critics of the renovation project, such as Save the Terrace, say the project could have reduced its need for student segregated fees if it began fundraising when the 2006 referendum approved the project.
While Student Council Rep Cale Plamann applauded the campaign’s potential to offset renovation costs, he too said he wished the Mendota Blue Movement began fundraising earlier.
“One of my largest criticisms of them is that they have been shoveling off on students the money that should have been coming from fundraising,” Plamann said.
But according to John, fundraising has been going on for years, generating $5 million. Still, John said she understands why people would not be aware of previous fundraising efforts, since they have been private.
“I think that’s just misinformation that hopefully we’ll be able to clear up by launching the public campaign,” she said.
