A resolution was passed by the Student Government Association (SGA) Monday evening to add aquatic life food dispensers around Loch Norse. This resolution comes from University Improvements Chairwoman Raina Taylor collaborations with Counseling Services, First Year Programs and Student Technology and Support.
Loch Norse is home to a variety of aquatic life that many students may be unaware of. Mike Irvin, a member of the Staff Congress executive board, said that feeding the animals at Loch Norse is “actually quite interesting.”
“You toss in anything, it gets mobbed,” he said.
The resolution passed by SGA contained testimonials from both students and staff about why the food dispensers would benefit campus.
Senior Emily Stevens testified that adding these dispensers to campus would “offer peaceful, stress relieving activities that can benefit the mental health of the entire NKU community.”
Christopher Lawrence, a NKU counseling faculty member, echoed Stevens’ testimony, saying that engaging with nature can result in an experience of awe.
When experiencing this state of awe, Lawrence said it can “improve people’s mood, enhance their sense of connectedness and increase their displays of kindness and generosity.
“This kind of spawned out of a long story of just, originally, kind of just kidding, and then it became an actual thing,” said Irvin.
Three dispensers will be donated by an external donor. A budget of $400 has been set to cover the initial costs of the food as well as possible signage. Revenue generated from the machines will be used to purchase additional food.
An Instagram post from @nku_sga states that “For a quarter, students can use a gum-ball type machine to receive a handful of food for the fish and turtles in Loch Norse.”
According to Irvin, these food dispensers aren’t a dream and have been “money approved” and “operations and maintenance confirmed.”
Logistics of buying the supplies are still developing, but a plan for a first feeding, kick-off style event has been discussed to take place once the dispensers are set. An expected finish date has not yet been announced.