Correction appended. Because of a reporter’s error, the amount building costs are estimated to rise per year was misstated and was attributed to Dusty Miller, director of the EMU. According to Miller, the University uses an 8 percent inflationary index for capital construction, not 80 percent.
The Emerald regrets the error.
The University community weighed in on committee decisions about how to spend $800,000 in surplus student funds Friday night, and some advocates for proposals that were not included spoke about why their proposals deserved a second look.
Students questioned why they should purchase equipment for an electronic ticket distribution system to be used by the Athletic Department, and discussed whether paying off the Student Recreation Center debt would be a true solution for the rec center’s budget problems.
Around 50 people who are not members of the student government attended the town hall meeting to support proposals. Ben Lubbers, who submitted a proposal to purchase solar water heaters for the rec center and Ethan Nelson, who submitted a proposal for a climate neutral campus, both made cases for inclusion. Members of the Multicultural Center also argued for additional funding.
Although the MCC wing expansion is included in one of the two packages, students argued the amount was far from what they would need to begin construction. Dusty Miller, director of the EMU, said the renovation and expansion would cost at least $1.2 million, and with more funding he will be more likely to find additional funding sources. Miller said construction costs increase about 80 percent each year, suggesting the longer the project is put off, the more expensive it becomes.
Student Senator Nate Gulley said, “It’s clear that funding something that big at $162,000 is ensuring it doesn’t move forward.”
Discussion heated up when MCC members suggested that Club Sports, which had a proposal in one package to purchase furniture after their space in the EMU is renovated, is not racially diverse.
Sen. Erica Reiko Anderson suggested the committee allotted the amount because it just happened to be what was left over after allocating funds to other projects.
In response to Sen. Natalie Kinsey’s inquiry about whether the money would be of any use to the MCC, Sen. Jennifer Lleras said, “You can’t just do part of it. It’s not possible to do half.”
Committee Chairman Sen. Jacob Daniels said, “There’s a lot of contention regarding these packages and proposals.” He also said, “The overwhelming majority probably won’t be happy.”
Questions about the budgetary health of the rec center were fielded by Richard Pryor, chairman of the Student Recreation Center Advisory Board, and Jen de-Vries, associate director of Physical Activity and Recreational Sports.
After explaining how the deficit has grown since the building opened, de-Vries promised future increases will be “small and slight” once the rec center has a “manageable” base budget.
Pryor promised if Senate chooses to pay the rec center debt, it would “not be in debt, ever again, from now on.”
Anderson took issue with paying the rec center deficit, suggesting it was against rules outlined in the Green Tape Notebook, saying it was not a one time expense, and arguing that Senate could not give the rec center more money because it has already allocated $72,000 to the rec center’s state-mandated equipment reserve.
In response to audience concerns that paying the rec center’s debt would not solve the problem, Daniels said, “It’s probably the biggest issue the ASUO student government is dealing with right now.”
Sen. Kyle McKenzie, chairman of the Athletic Department Finance Committee, explained that students have a vested interest in electronic tickets to curb the “no-show factor,” (when students pick up tickets to athletic events and do not use them) which he said will aid the committee in negotiating student tickets and “save a massive amount of money.”
McKenzie said students would be contributing a small portion of the total cost to implement electronic tickets. Because McKenzie submitted the electronic ticket proposal and is a member of the appropriations committee, Nelson said he had a conflict of interest by including the electronic ticketing in both packages.
Kinsey, also a member of the ADFC, told students why students must purchase tickets.
“(The Athletic Department) receive(s) no funding from the University. It’s a completely separate entity,” she said. “Football is the only revenue generating sport for them.”
Senate will decide whether to accept either package at its April 25 meeting. Daniels said those who wish to advocate either package or suggest changes should attempt to lobby senators face-to-face.
“It will be clear to us, as a committee, what proposals are not popular,” he said.
Contact the news editor at [email protected]