Project $AVE, a long-gestating project that will use community feedback to turn wasteful spending practices into savings.

After only two days, Project $AVE has already received 95 submissions. According to Edwin Below, director of administrative applications and review team chair, approximately 60 percent of suggestions submitted came from the student body, 30 percent came from staff, and 10 percent came from the faculty.

“There are two main reasons why we decided to do this,” said Below. “[The first is] to create an awareness around campus to be economical… and the second is that budget committees often look globally, but a lot of people at the grassroots level have small detailed ideas to save money.”

So far, a number of common topics have emerged. Many have noted that dorms are too hot, and that there is a need for individual thermostats. Another reoccurring point has been that many lights on campus remain illuminated 24 hours a day, and that motion detectors, especially in dorm bathrooms, could be a good way to save electricity. Likewise, some have suggested that the University use more energy-efficient compact light bulbs.

According to Below, early suggestions have been well-reasoned and with merit.

“There have been very few kind-of-bogus submissions,” Below said.

Although many of the suggestions have related to general issues, some have offered specific solutions to curb expenses.

One staff member reported that catalogues sent out to prospective students weigh 17.5 ounces, two ounces over a shipping limit. If the catalogues weighed only 15.5 ounces, the suggestion claimed, it would save the University $2000 in shipping every year.

Another submission suggested electronic W-4 forms as opposed to paper ones. Electronic paycheck stubs were also suggested. Although these are an option for all staff paycheck stubs now, some do not know it exists, and the option is not available to students.

The University is in the midst of a five-year period in which the administration will try to diminish dependence on the endowment. This project is one part of a larger scheme to cut back on University spending.

Project $AVE is offering incentives to encourage students, faculty and staff to submit their ideas. According to Below, coupons to Pi Café and Red and Black Café will be awarded for the best 25 ideas. There will also be larger prizes at the end of the semester such as an iPod.

“I [submitted an idea],” said Anna Gevalt ’09. “Why not? It only took like five minutes.”

As of Feb. 27 only three responses had been posted on the site, www.wesleyan.edu/projectsave, due to processing time. The team will post additional incoming responses as they are analyzed.

Many of the ideas will require research. From the consistent feedback, there will be economical considerations over the summer when the Foss Hill dorms will be under construction. Below mentioned that the cost of implementation may be greater than the benefits of certain suggestions. Many suggestions will also be hard to assign a real dollar value to.

The rest of the Review Team is comprised of Director of Physical Plant Clif Ashton, Matt Ball ’08, Dean of Campus Programs Rick Culliton, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Gemma Ebstein, Professor of Government Marc Eisner, Science Library Reference Librarian Diane Klare, Associate Professor of Physics Brian Stewart, Gabe Tabak ’06, and Jesse Watson ’06. The technical advisor for the team is Director of Administrative Systems Steve Machuga.