URBANA — If you received $200,000, what would you spend the money on?

That's what Uni had to decide after 1994 graduate Catherine Chou Gruschow and her husband, 1995 alum George Gruschow, donated $200,000 to the school last fall.

The Chicago-area couple made the gift on Oct. 23 at an alumni reception in Chicago. They told Advancement Director Karen Cooley that the money could go anywhere it was needed at Uni.

"George and I have fond memories of Uni," Catherine said in an e-mail message after the gift was announced. "We first met there and both of our siblings went there as well. I hope our donation to Uni helps with many areas of need."

Director Steve Epperson solicited ideas from teachers and staff on how the money should be spent. After much consultation and assessment, he decided on the following plan, which he announced at the May faculty meeting:

• Technology
  Mobile laptop computer lab — $50,000
  iPod Touch lab — $10,000
  Classroom projector expansion/upgrades — $8,500
  Miscellaneous maintenance/fees, etc. — $1,500

• North Attic Renovations
  Air conditioning — $90,000
  Risers — $20,000
  Miscellaneous lighting improvements, etc. — $10,000

• Remaining
  Contingency — $10,000

To get an initial idea about where the money should go, Epperson sent out e-mails asking the faculty for their thoughts. It turned out that the suggestions fell into two main camps: technology and the North Attic.

English teacher Steve Rayburn thought that a mobile computer lab — basically a cart of laptops that could be wheeled into any classroom — would be beneficial to in-class writing projects.

Members of the foreign language department suggested that as many classrooms as possible be turned into "smart rooms" — projector-equipped rooms that allow teachers to display PowerPoint presentations and Web content as well as to play DVDs and CDs — so they could add to their curriculum.

Chemistry teacher David Bergandine proposed an iPod Touch lab — a collection of 40 iPod Touches that could be distributed to students for class work.

As for the North Attic, a consensus quickly emerged that a central air-conditioning system would be one of the best things to spend the money on. For years, classes and drama groups have sweltered in the poorly ventilated attic. Right now, the only way to get any circulation is to turn on the four loud and powerful wall fans, which merely blow the warm air around.

Another major North Attic renovation will be the replacement of the risers. As of now, for every Uni theatrical production, the risers that fit snugly in the South Attic are fitted like a jigsaw puzzle into the North Attic to provide seating for the audience. But it is a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. Large gaps and unstable surfaces plague the seating area where risers don't quite fit. Legs of chairs occasionally fall through the holes. Needless to say, the replacement of the risers has been long awaited.

A third North Attic improvement entails replacing the light board on the ceiling. The current one has worked well for Uni shows over the years, but it is time for a change. Rising junior Adam Joseph has been doing research to determine which lights to include in the new setup.

According to Epperson, the way the money is split up addresses the needs of almost all the departments.

"I liked how one category was technology-oriented while the other tended more toward the arts and humanities," he commented. "It's a good balance."

With Cooley receiving the OK from the donors, all of these plans can now be put into action, Epperson noted.

"Hopefully most of the projects will be finished before the start of next school year," he said. "Everything in the technology category will definitely be ready for use, and there will be a big push to try to get the AC in place as well. The light board and risers are at the lowest priority right now."

And what about the extra $10,000?

"That's our breathing room," Epperson said. "We will see what we can use it for when the initial projects are completed. It's a great start."