While Ohio State’s riot task force has clear goals in mind for preventing riots, the question of how the initiatives will be funded still remains.

With plans in mind for purchasing problem areas, establishing a living-learning center and upping late-night activities, the task force still has the difficult job of figuring out a funding mechanism for this immense and costly venture.

“We will focus on prioritizing the most feasible projects first,” said David Andrews, dean of the College of Human Ecology and chair of the task force.

“We have an incredible infrastructure here at OSU that we need to tap into,” he said.

Andrews hopes to use marketing classes and ongoing service-learning programs to facilitate the task force’s ideas.

Andrews said not everything in this plan will require money, and many university sponsored programs, such as late night programming might simply need to be redesigned.

“We need to change what goes into late-night programming and ask ourselves ‘Are they working?’ ” he said.

Expensive projects requiring a lot of money, including the purchase of problematic off-campus properties may come from organizations like Student Affairs or the Department of Athletics, said Eddie Pauline, USG President.

The department is committed to helping in the long-term funding for the prevention of riots and utilizing profits from this year’s Fiesta Bowl, Andrews said.

The exact amount the athletics department intends to commit is undisclosed at this time.

In addition to seeking funds from university organizations, the task force will look nationwide for help to achieve its goals.

“We have a couple of ideas to contact marketing and public relations firms to implement campus pride campaigns,” Pauline said.

Pauline hopes the task force will be able to find firms willing to work with OSU pro bono.

With the November 2002 riots costing taxpayers in excess of $80,000, the City of Columbus is equally concerned about implementing the task force’s ideas.

Many neighborhoods are upset that police designated to their towns are re-deployed to OSU during events like riots, said Barb Seckler, Assistant Safety Director for the city of Columbus.

“Other neighborhoods are asking, ‘Where are our police?'” Seckler said.

Seckler said she and the city of Columbus are pleased the riot task force has been seeking a funding mechanism to pay for all of their ideas and goals.