"With the decline of House life due to randomization, students need a place to gather," he said.

Samuel C. Cohen '00, who chairs the council's Student Center Working Group, spoke about "the new emphasis on cross-campus community" and said he hoped the student center would "serve as a new focal point."

Cohen, who served as the council's vice president last year, said he envisioned "a mall-type area" that would house small businesses such as photocopying services and a mail depot, as well as a casual study space.

"You can think of this area...as a Ticknor Lounge with a food court," he said.

Redmond also addressed the question of how ethnic and women's groups would fit into the council's vision. She suggested separating the building into "wings," housing offices for similarly themed organizations in the same areas.

"We need a space where groups can talk together and have a general discourse on ideas," Redmond said, recommending that offices for publications, counseling groups, cultural groups and others be clustered by category.

But Jason B. Phillips '99, vice president of the Black Students Association (BSA), warned against the "self-segregation" the separate wings might promote.