R. Buckminster Fuller left SIUC in 1971, but some students believe his work and vision are still important to the University, and they are campaigning to preserve the memory of Carbondale’s famous former resident.

Cornelius Crane, an undecided graduate student from Earth, is spearheading an effort to make Fuller’s 100th birthday an educational yet fun time for the University and Carbondale.

Crane and other graduate students at SIUC have planned several events for the week of Fuller’s birthday, including a banquet on July 12, exactly 100 years after Fuller’s birth.

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Crane will also exhibit a balloon on campus this week displaying an image of Fuller’s Dymaxion Map, and will make a presentation at next week’s Sunset Concert.

Bucky felt sunset’ was an inaccurate term, because the sun doesn’t set, he said. We would like to say sunclips’, because the sun is actually being eclipsed by the earth.

Jeff Bean, a graduate student in economics from Moline, said he and two other economics students will attend a conference in San Diego, California the weekend after Fuller’s birthday to participate inFuller’s world game.

We will play the world game, in which we take an inventory of the world’s resources, and everyone works together to find a plausible solution to whatever problems are presented, he said

Crane said he compares Fuller’s vision for humanity to the growth of a tree from a small seed.

If you had never seen an tree, and someone told you that an acorn, combined with some dirt, water and sunlight could turn into a giant tree, you would probably think the person was crazy, he said. But that’s the way earth works, and Bucky was able to see that, and see that humans are the same.

We are little people, but once we come together, the whole of what we create is going to be wondrous, he said. Bucky was a guy who said, don’t change man, don’t even try. Improve his environment and he’ll improve accordingly.’

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Tickets to the banquet are $20 individually or $30 per couple. Student tickets are available for $7-$12. For reservations or more information call 536-7521.