'Let there be light!'
Campus Times
November 21, 1997
"And God said, 'Let there be light.'" Actually, in this case,
Mike said, "Let there be light" and mark my words, there will
be.
After looking at the University of La Verne campus at night and examining
student concern, the Associated Student Federation (ASF) Forum determined
that there are certainly some places that could be better lit for safety.
From the beginning of this year, ASF had allocated money toward a committee
called "Better Lighting."
Unfortunately, the original Forum committee was not exactly quick to
act on getting the ball rolling.
That was until a new member of the Forum, Mike Morrow, a transfer from
Citrus College took some initiative and got the Better Lighting Committee
into action.
As of now, the committee name has been changed to Physical Improvements,
and has a $5,000 budget. With this money, several lights will be installed
over various dark areas of the University campus.
The areas that will be enlightened include the quad in front of the
Student Center, the walkway between Founders Hall and Dailey Theatre and
the parking lot in front of Ben Hines Field.
Because each light costs a total of $2,000, Morrow's committee is currently
overbudget by $4,000. He expects, though, to receive more allocated money
from the Forum, upon which he will give the Maintenance Department ASF's
final approval.
Maintenance then estimates it will not be more than six weeks before
the lights are installed and the campus is improved.
I knew this guy had potential from the moment I heard him interviewed
for the ASF transfer rep position in September. If I remember correctly,
I predicted he would bring some positive PR to the Forum and do something
worthwhile in the areas of physical improvement.
Morrow has held to the prediction, being one of the most active members
on the Forum this semester.
He has fulfilled more than his share of hours in the ASF Office, gotten
involved in several ASF ventures and, most importantly, saved the very important
Better Lighting committee.
To save money, he may even ask the City of La Verne to foot the bill
to get D Street better lit, since it is a city street, and not only a University
area. He also has devised a way to get the lights that are already installed
in the alley near the Oaks turned back on to allow for better safety in
that area.
Morrow says better lighting is something that the students have been
concerned with for some time. He told me that it provides safety and peace
of mind.
Safety is indeed a concern at the University of La Verne and ASF's allocation
for better lighting shows its interest in the student needs.
I rarely worry about my safety at the University, however some better
lighting would give me more peace of mind when I walk around campus in the
evening.
For this, I have Morrow to thank.
But this is not the only thing he is working on.
Athletes should also thank him. He is currently channeling his energy
to find corporate sponsors to donate money toward the new gym floor. His
goal is to get $30,000 raised for the floor.
He says his next venture will be figuring a way to get air conditioning
in Founders Hall.
These are big goals, but they are not that far away. Morrow is only
one student, but this soft spoken student politician is probably one of
the most powerful students I have yet to meet at the University of La Verne.
He may not be God, but in January, he will have given us light.
By the end of the school year, athletics may have a few thousand dollars
more toward the much needed gym floor.
Come next fall, we may not be sweating during Convocation.
To borrow the phrase that ASF members have been joking about for weeks,
here is a great mission statement for the Forum of next semester:
"I want to be like Mike."
Abide by it and the students will thank you for it.
Andrea Gardner, a senior broadcast journalism major, is editor in
chief of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at gardnera@ulv.edu.
