The faculty senate is considering a resolution that would establish a public policy school within the College of Arts and Sciences.

The school, called the School of Social Sciences, Urban Affairs and Public Policy, would be funded by private donors and aim to enhance Northeastern’s research programs in the social sciences, as well as improve the university’s community outreach.

Barry Bluestone, director of the Center for Urban and Regional Policy, presented the idea to the senate last Wednesday. He encouraged the senate to establish the school, even though funding has not yet been secured. He described it as a “shell” for the university to build in, and said once the basis of the school has been established, faculty members can begin searching for donors and finalizing details.

James Stellar, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he supports the idea, although he prefers to think of the resolution not as a shell but as a “hunting license,” giving faculty permission to go in search of donors.

Establishment of the center will largely depend on whether a donor can be secured, Bluestone said. He said no internal funding would be diverted from other areas to pay for the center, and he feels it is important to Northeastern’s advancement as an institution.

Bluestone said the center would be focused on research, and although it would mainly impact graduate students, there would be opportunities for undergraduate research as well.

“If the school is successful, we expect to dramatically increase social science research, and we would work to include undergraduates in that research,” Bluestone said.

He also said the school would create an opportunity for new undergraduate courses that mixed social science disciplines.

Michael DeRamo, Student Government Association (SGA) vice president for academic affairs, said the center will be positive for students.

“We’re very, very interested in the project, and we have faith in it,” DeRamo said. “It could draw in a lot of money to the university, and draw together students from all the different programs.”

DeRamo said the center would also enhance research opportunities for undergraduates, which the academic affairs committee worked on establishing last semester.

“I would imagine it would be much easier for the new undergraduate research office to bring in social sciences students, who don’t usually do a lot of research,” DeRamo said.

Although the senate was generally supportive of the idea, some senators had reservations about whether there had been adequate discussion. Carol Glod, nursing professor and chair of the faculty senate agenda committee, said she had noticed an undertone in her discussions with faculty that suggested the issue hadn’t been discussed thoroughly enough.

“I think the proposal has a lot of merit, and represents a good interdisciplinary effort,” Glod said. “But one of the concerns that was raised at the senate was around the faculty not being directly involved in the proposal. I think the more communication the better.”

Bluestone said the resolution had gone through all the appropriate channels, and he felt confident most members of the social sciences faculty were aware of the idea.

“In the sociology department, you would have to have been off campus for the past two years to not know about this,” Bluestone said.

The idea for the new school dates back to January 2003, when President Richard Freeland put together a group to look into the feasibility of the school. Since then, the idea has gone from a vague notion to a detailed plan outlining different centers and concentrations within the school. Yet despite these plans, Bluestone said there is no timetable for the project, nor is there a budget.

“The size of the centers will be based almost exclusively on the amount of money we get,” Bluestone said.

He said members of the committee have begun looking for funding, and he hopes President Richard Freeland, and potentially his successor, will play a large role in the fund-raising effort. Bluestone said he is confident they will be able to find a donor.

“We think there are people in the greater Boston area … who have a strong belief and love for the city and the region and the commonwealth. Those people will see Northeastern, through this new school, stepping up to play a new role in the progress and prosperity of the region,” Bluestone said. “It is, as Dean Stellar once called it, a ‘big, bodacious idea.'”

Although the school is still in the planning stages, middler mechanical engineering major James Garten supports the idea.

“I think it would be good. I think it would attract people. I’m actually surprised we don’t have one,” Garten said. “I think it would bring us up a level.”

Other students, like freshman business major Jesse Brady, said the school would bring in a wider variety of students.

“I think it would make it more diverse. Adding more schools would attract more students,” Brady said.

Discussion had to be postponed for lack of time, and will continue at the next meeting Feb. 8.

– News Correspondent Jessica Bailey contributed to this story.