Students can heat up a frozen meal in a new microwave in the Reitz Union and then eat it on a solar-powered picnic table by the end of the month, courtesy of UF Student Senate.
The installation of three solar-powered picnic tables at the Hub and one microwave in the Reitz Union was unanimously approved Tuesday night.
Student Body Treasurer Elliot Grasso, one of the authors of the solar-powered picnic table resolution, said the idea came from last year’s election campaign platforms.
“We saw it was something that students really wanted,” he said. “We were going for something that offered more study space on campus and that was more cost effective.”
While the microwave was installed before the Fall semester began, the picnic tables will be installed by Sept. 22. The wheelchair-accessible tables, which can also be found at the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, the Rawlings Plaza and Diamond Village, have four power outlets each and two USB ports to charge electronics. Each table costs $9,000.
The single-dish microwave cost about $250 and is available for anyone to use. One other microwave is available for use in Turlington Hall.
“It’s definitely useful for students who want to bring lunch to school,” said Sen. Michael Christ of the microwave after the meeting, “but it’s no game changer.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 9/3/2014 under the headline "Solar picnic tables, microwave approved by Senate"]
Sen. Jason Richards (center) presents the resolution supporting the installation of solar power-doks on campus on Tuesday evening.
