EVANSTON—Northwestern President Morton Schapiro unveiled plans to supplement the Evanston campus’ lake fill with a private archipelago across Lake Michigan at his inauguration on Friday, Oct. 9. The plan will raise awareness about sustainability by using organic material from old-growth rainforests to fill the archipelago’s islands, Schapiro said.

Citing the cramped conditions of the Sept. 19 ‘Rock the Beach’ dance party thrown for freshmen during Wildcat Welcome Week, Shapiro noted in his inaugural address that “the time is now” for Northwestern to expand its beachfront acreage.

“It’s no secret that with the job market out the window, kids aren’t applying to school with hopes of future employment anymore,” he said. “The Northwestern student of the future is a student who wants to take full advantage of the temperate campus climate.”

According to Schapiro, the use of sustainable materials to build the archipelago islands was “fundamental” to the plan. Environmentalist and author Thomas Friedman, who gave opening remarks at the inauguration, praised Shapiro for balancing plans to improve the “hot, flat, and crowded” beaches with promoting environmental awareness.

“By collecting all this sustainable material and dumping it in Lake Michigan, Morty is showing that he’s aware of the environmental problems plaguing earth,” Friedman said. “Awareness is pretty much the same thing as taking action.”

Weinberg junior Sam ‘Earthpeace’ Johnson reflected on Friedman’s statements when interviewed after the inauguration.

“I’m aware of a number of troubling events taking place in this country and abroad,” Johnson said. “It’s comforting to see that our President shares our level of awareness.”

Many students who are less aware supported the plan as well. Varsity golf captain Neil Claymore said that the team will attempt to adopt the archipelago as its home course. Senior marijuana user Fred Parker added that the islands will be a great place to “relax, man.”

Environmentalists and residents of South America were glad to see that awareness was instrumental to the archipelago project. However, some expressed doubts about the project.

“Where did our rainforest go?” one resident asked.