On Monday, April 19, the Associated Students of NMU (ASNMU) board members unanimously voted to approve funding for a 24-hour study lounge beginning in the fall 2010 semester.

The study lounge, which will be in the bottom floor of the Learning Resource Center, is scheduled to be implemented on Oct. 15, 2010 and run through the remainder of the semester.

The money would come from the ASNMU budget and would be used to pay Public Safety student officers to supervise the area.

“I think (the study lounge) will provide a great forum for students to be able study,” said President Lucia Lopez. “I’m glad we were able to get this passed in two weeks.”

Three students spoke in support of the 24-hour study lounge at the beginning of the meeting.

“I’m an off-campus student and I’d like to voice my support for the 24-hour study lounge,” said freshman criminal justice major Cris Durley. “I think it would be great for students (who live off-campus).”

ASNMU members raised concern about the availability of printers since the upper floor printers located in the Olsen Library would remain closed.

Lopez said that she was willing to work with Public Safety to try to provide access to the printers located in the Help Desk area.

In other news, off campus representative Dani Thoune announced plans to look into possibly implementing a policy where incoming freshmen would receive a bike if they did not purchase a parking pass their first year.

The program would be paid for by the school. She said that at other universities, bikes have cost around $450 apiece.

Michael Skrobeck was elected as the chair of the Dozing Discounts committee over Thoune.

Vanessa Thibado was sworn in by Lopez as a representative for the College of Graduate Studies.