In a demonstration of its “commitment to inclusion,” the Purdue University Student Government agreed to allocate $17,000 for a “rainbow crosswalk” during its last official meeting of the school year.
According to The Exponent, the crosswalk will span the intersection of Mitch Daniels Boulevard (formerly West State Street) and Grant Street (pictured).
Resolution author Lillian Ferguson said the high cost of the project is due to its “more resilient” thermoplastic design in lieu of mere paint. She noted such materials would give the crosswalk a decade of life before it would need repairs or replacement.
Some student senators raised concerns about the environmental impact of the thermoplastics; however, Senator and Boiler Green Initiative President Anna Hampton said the materials are “environmentally friendly enough” and added “There’s already a lot of plastic around anyway.”
Others objected to the price of the crosswalk, noting its construction was merely a “performative action.” But Student Government Treasurer Sean Wiseman noted there would be no money lost as any unspent (student gov.) funds at the end of the year end up going back to the university anyway.
Wiseman noted that even with the crosswalk funding, he expected the PSG to finish the year with about $10,000 leftover.
The Purdue LGBTQ Center posted about the crosswalk project on its Facebook page following a call to donate to the center during the upcoming Purdue Day of Giving:
The crosswalk project ended up being approved overwhelmingly by a vote of 25 to 1 (with one abstention).
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IMAGES: Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com; Purdue U. screencap; Purdue LGBTQ Center/Facebook screencap
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