The past idea of constructing an electric sign on campus is looking possible in Missouri Southern’s future.

Student Senator Johnathan Saunders said the Senate’s capital improvement committee is working with the Board of Governors to install an electric sign. In fact, the Student Senate has already taken steps to bring the sign. Last week, the Senate unanimously voted to put forward $10,000 to the electric sign fund with the expectation that the University will pay for the rest of the sign.

Also, some Senators have drafted a proposal to send to the Board, and Board Chairman Rod Anderson said the Senate approached the Board with the information about the sign in the Feb. 18 regular Board meeting.

“I don’t think there’s anything that’s in a roadblock of trying to get that done,” Anderson said.

Saunders said the sign will promote a variety of events available at Southern, but the exact location has not been determined.

“It’s something that high schools have, that churches have; it’s about time that Missouri Southern gets something like that,” Saunders said. “Our competitors at Pittsburg State University have it.”

This isn’t the first time an electric sign has been proposed. There are already locations on campus where electric wiring was made available for the sign’s placement. The sign will most likely be placed at a point where the wiring is already available.

“Really, we’re just continuing a project that the ones before us started,” Saunders said.

Optimistic estimates put the sign’s installation at six months away.

“We’re hoping to get it up before the next year starts,” said Malorie Cashel, director of student activities.

He also added that the sign’s content won’t be controlled by any one entity.

“It will be a University sign,” Saunders said of the sign’s ownership.

Saunders is unsure how much the total cost of the electric sign project will be.

“The University indicated that it will go for the best one possible,” Saunders said. “It will be pretty decent.”

He is hopeful that the University can partner with a local business to bring the sign to campus, and he doesn’t think the University will have to put forward “too much” money.

“I’ve seen really good signs that are $40,000, sometimes less,” Saunders said. “I really think the University is going to go big or not go at all.”

Vice President of Business Affairs Rob Yust provided a “guess” of $40,000 to $50,0000. He also said it is undetermined which company the school will buy a sign from.