MAKING TRADEOFFS. The public, and public officials, recognize them.

State Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley, said he has received calls from alumni, students and community members.

“People think the governor reacted too quickly and that he's calling for a solution that hasn't thoroughly been discussed so that people can understand it ... to see if the solution matches the need,” he said.

The key issue, he said, is figuring out how to meet the need for classroom space.

[John] Puterbaugh, the Northern Star editor, said university officials may be interested in the replacement idea because of the chance to get money for a new building after years of limited aid from state government.

“Our administration can't say no,” he said. “They don't want to bite the hand that routinely does not feed them.”