The university's recent Bright Ideas Competition proved two things: There are lots of good ideas on this campus, and great minds do think alike.

The competition was announced in September, when the president's office solicited "Ideas That Work" to "save money, add value to an existing resource or produce a new source of revenue."

Ann Wylie, the president's chief of staff, said the outcome was "an extremely positive competition that produced nearly 200 fascinating ideas. Many of them, including some of the winners, came from students."

The idea judged by a committee to be the best was submitted separately by six different people, and four people separately suggested the second place idea. In both cases Wylie drew a name to receive the listed prize while the alternate winners will receive bookstore gift certificates.

For the first place idea, Wylie picked Erika Verniece Richardson, a student, who suggested a campus wide yard sale for students to buy and sell used furniture and other items at the end of each semester. Others who submitted basically the same idea were Anastasia Marie Conroy, Michael Lueking, Jason Silva, Jill Engel-Hellman & Matthew Hellman (jointly), and Cara McCleskey. All are students except the Hellmans. They will receive $300 gift certificates.

Richardson chose for her prize dinner for six in Heritage Hall and six box seat tickets to this year's home basketball game against Duke.

The second place idea, from four different people, was a suggestion that library notification of book availability and overdue notices be sent electronically rather than through the mail. Rebecca Thomas, a coordinator with the Gemstone Program, and students Jennifer Dix, Kathleen Lis Dean (graduate student) and Paige Haber will each get.gift certificates worth $225.

The third place winner, Charlotte R. Frisby, an assistant in the President's office, will get a $150 gift certificate for her suggestion that payroll stubs be distributed electronically rather than in stuffed envelopes. Employees may also opt for printed stubs if they prefer.

All of the winning ideas can and will be implemented, Wylie said.

Another 10 ideas earned honorable mentions from the selection committee, and $100 gift certificates will be awarded for each idea. The honorable mention ideas will be considered by appropriate university officials, Wylie said, noting that while all are excellent ideas, some may not be feasible at this time.

"We'll share the suggestions with deans and other officials to see whether we can do them," Wylie said. "Whether we can or not, they were all wonderful ideas, and we are grateful to all who took the time to submit their suggestions."

Honorable mentions go to Bill Higgins, associate professor of biology; students Yun Liu, Michael Zickel, Daniel Ostick, Spencer Black, Wendy Loughlin (and six friends) and Crystal Watkins; Kevin Brown, assistant director for facilities maintenance; Diane O'Leary and Samir Khuller, computer science faculty members; Aphrodite Roberts, mother of student Kristina Roberts; and Charles Bowler, a manager in facilities planning.

More than 170 individuals submitted nearly 200 ideas in the competition that ended Nov. 1.