Faculty and staff members from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences have shown that a little money can go a long way.

When petitioned by students, some faculty and staff dug up $50 or more each to help renovate the Deike Building.

A total of $16,000 was raised through the campaign, which began last semester.

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Student Council President Victoria Sankovich and Public Relations Officer Jessica Scollins were approached in the fall by the dean's office about writing letters to faculty members and asking for donations.

"They thought it would be more effective if students reached out to the faculty members," Scollins said. "We gave our input as to what we thought the letters should contain, but they were primarily written by the dean's office."

The letters, which were sent out last semester, asked faculty members to give donations of $50 or more to the project.

Sankovich said she first heard about the amount raised last week.

"I was very surprised to hear how much the faculty had given," she said. "This was the first I heard about it since the letters were sent out last semester."

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences spokeswoman Jennifer Theiss said the letter was sent to all faculty members in the college, and more than half responded with a donation.

Many of the donations came from payroll deductions, she added.

Money raised from the project was used to renovate the ground floor of the Deike Building. Updates include new wireless classrooms, computer labs and a new earth and mineral sciences museum.

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences academic advising director Jon Merritt, a donor, said the donations show faculty members' dedication.

"It really makes a statement to prospective students," he said. "It shows the strength of the program and the dedication of its faculty and alumni."

Merritt added that the amount of the minimum donation might have also been a factor in the high number of donors.

"The bar was set low enough so that everyone, not just professors or department heads, could contribute to the project and feel like they had a stake in it, as well," he said.

Merritt said he gave to the project as a way of showing respect to the institutions that helped him on his educational path.

Faculty members who donated to the project will have their names added to a "Wall of Honor" that was constructed across from the Ryan Family Student Center in 14 Deike to recognize donors to the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.