Author Topic: Making SB better- Idea Thread  (Read 20359 times)

Chairman of the Board

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Making SB better- Idea Thread
« on: February 07, 2013, 09:13:22 am »
For years ive wracked my brain on what SB can do to make the experience and the campus even better.  They do so many things right.  And we discuss ad nauseum.  I do think there are some things they can do better.  Along with this, i do understand that things are easier said than done, and that with a large state institution, things like red tape, local residents, NCAA regs, funding, etc. all get in the way. 

I started to think about this because of the other thread about building a college town in SB.  Here's some ideas im curious for your thoughts:

-Quads: This may sound silly, and purely aesthetic, but the classic university feel is to have open grass fields with the crossing paths, whether in the academic mall or dorms.  How expensive can this be?  http://fe.fs.cornell.edu/img/mainPage/ArtsQuad.jpg

-Halls: other than Harriman Hall, we dont name our schools nor our buildings as halls.  Bring in some donors, put their names on the schools, call it a hall.  I know this is a public school, but its done for dorms, so lets do it for buildings.  Staller Hall.  Pritchard Hall.  Dubin Hall.  Etc.   Take our presidents' names to make the example- Toll Hall, Marburger Hall, Kenny Hall, Stanley Hall.

-Schools: same as above, we have an arts & sciences school, slap a name on it.  Take the engineering school, for example, think about it.  The Casado School of Engineering!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stony_Brook_University#Colleges_and_professional_schools

-Tower: i guess we have a tower now with the Wang Center right?  Something that when kids today go to google images and plug in SB, they will immediately recognize our campus with an identifiable something.  Im talking about something that's smack in the middle of campus, perhaps a giant clocktower.  Long term project.

-Stone/Brick buildings: i know this is not our thing, as we are not the traditional private university.  But i dont believe that kids would rather go to school in a super modern glass building than something like this: http://conmedisys.com/img/12/128/Virtual_Tour_Perkins_Library_Duke_University.jpg

-NYC Club: we cant yet afford our own club, however, with the large alumni base working/living in the NYC area, we should tap this.  There are clubs that allow any university grad (maybe the University Club?) but SB should in the future try and foster a relationship with an existing club, and hold events there.  For example, the Cornell Club has reciprocity with Gtown and a few other schools.

-Campus Housing: kids are either relegated to the dorms or somewhere in a suburban house a few towns away.  We need to find how we can get more apartments on/near campus to enhance the experience.  The atmosphere will remain the same if kids live in Selden, and others in Sound Beach, for example.  I know for a fact that freshman are routinely tripled up in dorms.  This can even become a cash cow.  Or privatize the operation, whatever.

-College Town: other than PJ, which is a few miles away, weve already discussed the building of a college town, which could likely only happen on 25a, or perhaps in some of the open space they have immediately south of main campus, or perhaps in the open space near Nicholls Road.  Perhaps more student housing could go here as well in the future.  Look at this map and tell me we dont have the space: http://tinyurl.com/agyyy59

-Hierarchy: when i got to SB, there were no "freshman dorms".  I lived amongst sophomores, seniors, freshman, everything.  Get all the freshmen into the Mendelsohn and H Quads, building relationships right from the getgo.  These are the corridors, not the private suites where you dont meet as many people.  Then give them the option to move up to the other nicer apartments.  Dont have freshmen living with seniors, different interests.  Then make those dorms your target for getting kids out to games and events (right near the stadium!).  Enforce the honors dorms (Roth Quad) and make it something to shoot form.

-Tradition: we are relatively young and deficient when it comes to tradition.  I dont even know where to start.  Cornell has an entire page dedicated to Cornelliana.  In time we will have it.  But we need to start building this now.  Do we have a statue anywhere on campus?  We need our students to build these, i understand, but we also should start taking some queues from other universities on this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelliana

-Legends: this one we have covered- the bridge to nowhere, the Melville Library was built backwards, etc.  Unfortunately for us, both are not the "good" kind of legends.  Again, mostly up to the students.

-Rivalry: we have at times built rivalries, but since conferences change, we havent had steady rivals.  SJU/Hof dropped football, Hof wont play us in other sports, BU is leaving the AE, we are leaving the Big South, and we may leave the AE in the future.  We need to have a rivalry week and get the students fired up, or something like that.

-Student Activities: many other schools enhance the student experience by having things like senior week, theme weekends, school sponsored activities, etc.  We dont do enough of this, or, the ones they do students arent interested in.  The Roth Regatta is great, but most students dont go.  And the Strawberry Fest isnt something to get all that excited about (and i like strawberries). 

-Weekends: this has always been a problem because kids are from the NYC area and can easily get the train home on thursday afternoon.  Maybe start admitting kids from out of state (more $$$) or from further away, to entice kids to stay on campus.  From what i understand, decades ago this wasnt a problem, but during the Marburger years the campus has quieted down and has never recovered.

-Fight Song: we finally got a fight song, and the kids are learning it at games.  But what we need is for kids is a little brainwashing if you will, like give out posters with the lyrics, send emails that link to the mp3, get people to listen to it.  Same for the alma mater.  Play them both over the PA at LaValle and Pritchard, have the band play it more, have the band sing the words and let the students pick up on it.  http://tinyurl.com/abnyrgj

-A little brainwashing: right when kids arrive, put t-shirts in their welcome pack, buttons, a phone cover with the SB logo, get it everywhere.  You want them and their friends to see it everywhere.  Put bball schedules and football schedules in there, magnets for the fridge, everything, a key chain, a hat, whatever it takes.  Get a poster of the sports teams and give them out, kids will put them on their walls.

*I understand these ideas are mostly far fetched, expensive, and maybe even not welcome.  However, i will add to them, as i truly believe SB will become better and better!  Im trying to help, and rant at the same time.  Have at it....
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 10:25:41 am by Chairman of the Board »
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Hammertime

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2013, 09:38:53 am »
Chairman, As usual you come up with great ideas and insights. Your opinions are always right on and I think you should forward this thesis over to the President of SBU,,,, Samuel L Stanley.. You never know what could happen. Tell him you have hundreds of followers from the Forum who agrees with a lot of your ideas

ecasadoSBU

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2013, 11:03:29 am »
While its almost impossible to build the traditional ivy university feel into the Stony Brook campus due to the architecture and era of campus growth (Brutalist architecture is very popular in campus and unless we destroy half of the campus we can't get rid of it) we can still take steps to enhance the campus

I will never forget walking to every UConn Dining hall and seeing the "Students Today, Huskies Forever" phrase... Something so simple, but it can build so much pride. Even I felt the pride as I walked into the Uconn Dining Halls and I never was a student... LOL...

Somethings that I saw at the University of Connecticut that impressed me:

1)All TVs controlled remotely which play UCONN games when they are on. No one has a choice. Those are UCONN Sports TVs when its Gametime
2)Couches that all have the "Huskies" and "UC" logo in every lounge
3)School colors used everywhere
4)upcoming Game Ads in the Dining tables everywhere on campus
5)A large marketplace next to the Gampel Pavilion with a wide selection of Huskies gear
6)Everything is named after the Huskies: HuskyVision (Cable service), HuskyBucks (Campus Cash), HuskyTV (Campus TV Channel), etc, etc, etc. Everything named with Huskies as a prefix is an excelent idea. This kids are brainwashed by the second day of school. My GF attends the University so I know...
7)They also have a great Student Union.... Our Union SUCKS! There is no way around it. The SU we currently have does not fit the profile of a national university. this is priority. We should get rid of the Union entirely and build a new five floor union with everything a student wants, all campus clubs, dining halls, movie screen, Game lounge, a TV lounge for game watch parties. Build Pride into every aspect of the Student Union.

Something to be aware of it is that the University of Connecticut is not a better school than Stony Brook University. But the perception of many of our students say otherwise. We are an AAU university, massive research, and great graduate programs. But we lack in student life, pride/spirit. That is enough to make students choose UConn over SBU. That is why we need these things.

Simple steps that can build Stony Brook pride. The administration has to build a committee that takes this seriously.


Regarding architecture

1) Our campus should enhance the academic mall. While it may be too late to build an open grass field on such a narrow mall we can enhance the mall by extending the "east Plaza buildup" all the way across to the west up to the Earth and Space Science buildings. I don't like asphalt and it looks ugly right in the middle of campus. Build another Fountain in the circle between the SAC, Earth and Space in front of the Harriman Hall and renovated Old Chem building. That should be the center of campus

2) Renovate the Zebra Path. Make it wider and even more beautiful. Make it a source of pride for students by allowing the students to take charge on its renovation.

3) Knock down the northern part of ESS Building which blocks access and view to the western side of Campus (Physics, Math, Simons center) , necessary Overhaul of Harriman Hall. eliminate the huge parking strips and building Parking towers instead to save space.

4) Give the campus a more centralized feel. I know this is suburbia and the campus was build for easy car access but I hate the parking lots right in the middle of campus. I dislike Parking lots right behind Engineering, SAC, and Computer Science. Eliminate them and combine them into one. Replace with grass fields...

I got more things to add later on
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 11:24:04 am by ecasadoSBU »
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Chairman of the Board

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2013, 11:23:49 am »
Ok this is why i suggested naming a school after you... these are the RIGHT ideas we need to implement!!!

I do understand that we cant become an Ivy, but i think we can borrow some aspects.

As for the architecture, no you cant tear buildings down, but, you can reface buildings in a certain manner, and/or you can eschew the super-modern look in new construction and go for the traditional.

UConn, while not exactly a rival and/or peer, has some GREAT examples.  I love the athletics schedules on the tables.  I love even more the mandated Stalin-istic make everyone watch the bball game on tv.  I love that LaValle has red seatbacks and so will the Arena, and yes EVERYTHING should be in scarlet & gray. 

Also, i very much applaud the Husky-everything naming convention.  Seawolves soda.  The wolf den for the locker rooms.  The canine lounge.  A german/austrian restaurant called Wolf-gangs.  Canine Cafeteria.  Bottles of wolfwater.  Water fountains should be wolfwells.  And so on....

I agree our union needs work, but first and foremost, it needs a powerwashing!

If they cant sell gear, GIVE IT AWAY to students.  Plaster SB logos on everything. 

Hammer- thanks for your kind words.
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ecasadoSBU

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2013, 11:26:31 am »
Yes I forgot. Uconn makes it own bottled water. are you f'cking serious. That was amazing. there is such thing as "UCONN WATER"... UConn Dairy barn which makes UConn Ice Cream... Amazing stuff that builds pride. We definitely can borrow some of these things.
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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2013, 11:29:45 am »
Even more great ideas, eCasa!

I like making the circle in front of the SAC the center of campus.  Put up a clocktower, something. 

ESS is getting kinda rain-stained too and its ugly.  I also agree about the lots, but i figure thats an uphill battle as professors wont want to walk far (laziness).  Commuters will go nutso about that too.  Centralization is a great idea though.

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ry1nik

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2013, 01:44:11 pm »
Binghamton (where I got grad degree) has a clock tower. Nice effect without having to buy an entire building.

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2013, 01:45:28 pm »
See?  Ry1nik gets where im going with this!!!   ;D
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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2013, 01:46:56 pm »
Haha, I'll tell President Stanley to "git 'er done!" over beers tonight!

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2013, 01:55:26 pm »
Whoa direct line to the Pres!!!  Wanna drop these ideas on him???  If you havent already!!!   ::)

I met Dr. Stanley recently, i got a great impression from him.

We could totally beat out this: http://www.youvisit.com/media/binghamtongrad/20020705_university02_ed.jpg
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ry1nik

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2013, 01:57:23 pm »
Yeah, the one at Bingo is skimpy looking. I was thinking something more classical and sturdy looking.

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2013, 02:00:35 pm »
Me too.  Aim for the stars.  Duke U:

« Last Edit: April 03, 2020, 04:03:01 pm by Chairman of the Board »
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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2013, 10:32:41 pm »
On the application- ask kids what will they do for the SB community?  Will they participate?  Do they have school spirit?  Give them some room to write freely on how much they care.  Will they be active alums?  Visit their alma mater?  Give preference to right answers. 
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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2013, 03:49:20 pm »
Another idea i came up with a few years ago- a flag.  I actually tried to make a huge one- and buy a stand, have it at tailgates, wave it around when we score.  Something so easy, we have the trackwork there, let's take advantage of it.

Think about it- scarlet, white, and gray.  This is about building identity.  Like when Hofstra had the dutch flag, it was on helmets, stickers, fridge magnets, heck it was right in the middle of the field at Shuart. 

Here's the Peruvian flag (of course, put in some gray):



I like that we did the classic interlocking SB logo.  Lets now have an alternate "logo"- btw i do love the profile Seawolf, that should still be around as well, as the tertiary color (dark blue).  This is about building an identity.  Am i making any sense???
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Seawolf97

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Re: Making SB better- Idea Thread
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2013, 08:53:18 pm »
I would like to see us promote some of the great medical and scientific research that is being done on  campus. Get it in the Newsday and the NY Times and get the word the word out there.