I was active in an environmental organization that initially got this referendum on the student ballot.  If the university wouldn’t have dragged it’s feet so much then this project wouldn’t have been so expensive. I made my call this morning.

Just more proof that the University’s “green” initiatives are merely posturing without real commitment.

This is an outrageous move made by Chancellor Herman. The money is appropriated and available, we have been generating the funds for 5 years.

Illinois should be a bastion of progressiveness not the backward underling.  We need someone in charge with BALLS and a VISION for the future.  I am sick of the double speak driven by empty passionless goals, marketing, and green washing.

Please allow me to play Devil’s advocate for a second…

I have heard from a couple of reliable, knowledgeable people that a wind turbine, while quite symbolically important, would not have been very efficient for this area.  I have faith that when the U of I is not in such a financial pinch, they will uphold their “green” promise.  At this point the U of I is having to decide whether to build a wind turbine or pay their employees and fill necessary positions.

Believe me, I’d like to see more physical evidence of the University “going green” as much as the next person. And it is unfortunate timing that an outrageously expensive bell tower that no one wanted was erected right before the economy bit the dust. I could think of a million ways that money could have been better spent.  I think the University is wary of erecting another expensive project while employees are having to divvy up the jobs of people whose positions couldn’t be filled because of the hiring freeze.

I would like to see wind turbines on campus… it just may take a while longer.

yo stef,
i did some research, too.

when i called barb wysocki - the chair of the county board’s land planning committee - she described us as sited “between the moraines.”

so far, the county has looked at authorizing two wind farms for private use.

now that the university’s put the kibosh on its wind project, no one is talking about building municipal or governmental power stations. seems like a good idea to me, as energy use represents much of the budget.

I agree with Stef. Great idea, green is good, etc. etc.

But tough economic times call for projects like these to be shelved. Responsible management means eliminating these types of projects. And while Rob points out that this project would save $$$ on energy costs, exactly how long would it take to recoup the $4.2 million?

Spend, spend, spend, spend, spend. The liberal left’s achilles heel. Sure, it would be nice to invest a ton of money in “green” projects, but its not practical.

hey jon,
do you have any numbers reflecting output?

i’d like to know how many kilowatt hours you’d get for that $4.2 million.

also, what are the maintenance costs?

i’m going to assume that the economic viability of wind power will take a big leap forward in the obama administration—through a combination of tax shifting and flat out grants.

Bell Tower or Wind Turbine
Wind Turbine or Bell Tower

Tough Economic Times or Bullshit.

121 million for luxury boxes, that should pay for itself at a million net a year in ....?
This is a stubborn refusal based on ideology. 
Get up forget about the cheif, the signs at the games need to be aimed at the luxury boxes, 121 million, whose paying your costs?
Its only 1.7 million, 2.2 million was a grant, $300,000 they have already collected for this project…from students.