The Associated Students of the University of Wyoming has chosen recipients for this year’s special projects.
ASUW will, if approved by senate next week, dole out $75,000 towards the purchase of choral risers, white boards for the classroom building, an office remodel, an electronics workshop and more.
The seven special projects were chosen from nine proposals by an ASUW committee, who denied funding to two of the projects and cut the requests down from $134,688.
The largest special project chosen is $30,117 to the Associated Students Technical Services for lighting equipment. The program would like to purchase four cordless intelligent lighting fixtures, which ASTEC describes as “the standard in the world of concerts and conventions.” The new lights allow for more interesting lighting at events, which reach 25,000 UW students each year.
Another large purchase is proposed to the Cyber Defense Action League in the mathematics department to fund a Cyber Security Lab. A recommended $15,271.26 would go toward building a lab for those interested in learning about cyber security and defense. In the lab, students would have more powerful computers to test UW firewalls and learn about cyber defense.
The UW Department of Music was awarded a preliminary amount of $13,842 to purchase choral risers. The risers, which are capable of holding up to 250 singers and can be arranged with differing configurations, will replace the 40-year-old risers that were original to the Fine Arts building. According to the application, the risers are very dirty and dusty. When singers stomp and use body percussion, the cloud of dust that rises from the equipment causes breathing problems with the performers.
The Beta-Omicron Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho will use its funds to paint a grill that has become rusty since ASUW split the cost of building a catering grill with AGR in 2006. The group was awarded $9,546.72 for sandblasting and powder coating the grill, which also can be used as a griddle, smoker or washing station. The grill is often used at large events, such as department barbecues and serves at least 6,000 students each year.
The Applied Microcontrollers and Electronics Club, a newly formed Recognized Student Organization on campus, has been awarded $1,410.96 toward establishing a set of workshops for the use of microcontrollers and electronics. Possible projects include making motion-activated robots and light-up clothing.
Finally, the ACRES program was awarded $307.48 to purchase a netbook computer, which it would use to track planting schedules and other information. The student-run sustainable farming program grows food for the Washakie Dining Hall and provides experiential learning for other students on campus.
