In a unanimous vote, Student Council passed a resolution Tuesday night to support the creation of a student memorial on Grounds.
Under the proposal presented by College Rep. Tom Gibson and fourth-year Architecture student John Davies, a memorial consisting of a single column and a garden will be placed outside of Newcomb Hall's third floor entrance closest to the Main Lounge.
"I think that it is really important to establish a place where students and the University community can come together and grieve," Gibson said. "This is something that will benefit all students, especially those who have lost someone. The memorial will be a unified place for students to remember and express their grief, which is something we do not have right now."
The memorial will be dedicated to students who have lost their lives while enrolled at the University.
"My best friend second year was murdered," Davies said. "This does not rest well with me. I just wanted to help out with this project any way possible."
Davies presented a sketch of the memorial and explained the significance of the design to the representative body on Tuesday.
Davies said the proposed design for the memorial is for a single nine-foot, five-inch Doric column with a placard, commemorating lost students. The column will be made out of white marble.
"Because it is a monument, we want this to last for a long time," Davies said. "This will be a fitting way to symbolize our remembrance."
According to Gibson, a Doric column is an appropriate way to memorialize lost students because Thomas Jefferson used the simple design to symbolize how students are the core of the University.
Securing Council's approval is just one of many steps Gibson and Davies will take over the next year before construction begins.
According to Davies, the proposal will be presented to various deans, the office of the University Architect and the Facilities Management office.
Davies said the project will also receive input from the Council Buildings and Grounds Committee and the Arts and Architectural Review Board before being presented to the Board of Visitors for final approval.
"This resolution will build a momentum of student support and will help us with our proposals," Davies said.
With Council's backing, Gibson said he will approach the Parents Fund, a number of organizations and University groups in order to raise the necessary funds for the memorial.
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