NIU's Cole Hall in limbo
DEKALB -- People here continue to pause at the crosses and makeshift memorials dedicated to the five Northern Illinois University students gunned down during the on-campus Valentine's Day rampage.
And while the school community moves forward, plans for what to do with Cole Hall, the site of the shootings, remain in limbo.
About three dozen students met privately with members of the NIU Student Association Wednesday night to tell them their thoughts about the building's future.
Student leaders blamed the low turnout on students' busy schedules. Other students said many stayed away because they don't want to be reminded of the tragedy.
Still, while some students favor razing the building, others expressed a desire to use it for non-classroom purposes -- as a study space for example -- and still more said officials should return it to its prior educational use, said Jarvis Purnell, student body president.
"My position is really what the students want," Purnell said, acknowledging many have deep ties to the building. "I can sympathize with both ends of the spectrum."
A pair of counselors sat in on the sometimes emotional meeting, the first of three scheduled gatherings at the school.
It was closed to news organizations, so students could freely express their views without the media's glare, Purnell said.
Wednesday's gathering came weeks after Gov. Rod Blagojevich stood with school leaders and pledged to demolish Cole Hall and use state coffers to build a $40 million state-of-the-art Memorial Hall in its place.
The backlash was immediate, with many accusing the governor and school officials of political grandstanding and of using the shootings for their own gain.
Some students Wednesday night said they were surprised at how swiftly the announcement came and felt "jilted" they weren't consulted about Cole Hall's future.
Officials are now rethinking the demolition and have asked students for their input.
"I think they're trying to make up for that mistake," said senior Amber Lewis, 22. "Everyone's emotions are still so raw."
She and her friend, Derek Lippold, 23, spoke out against tearing down Cole Hall because the Anime Association they belong to has met there for 10 years and they feel a strong connection to the building.
"Knocking it down is just Band-Aiding the blister; it's not healing it," Lippold said afterward.
After the series of meetings, student leaders will compile the student feedback into a formal report and send it off to school administrators, Purnell said.
Meetings will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday inside the Campus Life Building and at 7 p.m. Friday in the Holmes Student Center.
If students can't make it to any of those meetings, they're encouraged to e-mail their ideas to colehall@niu.edu.
Roughly 900 students have already exercised this option, Purnell said.