SGA Passes Recreational Facility Fee, Resolution
Sarah Morris, From the ASU Herald Staff
An increased fee for a recreation facility was approved Tuesday night at the Student Government Association meeting, as the group voted on the proposal.
With only one voting nay, the opposition, the College of Communications Senator Samantha Mitchell, stated that she felt it was not the right time for the proposal.
The money to be used for the recreational facility could instead be used to address issues and needs that are currently taking place, such as for the ASU Health Center, Mitchell said.
The proposed facility would phase out the Health, Physical Education and Sports Sciences Building, which is over 30 years old and is now limited, and would be located on the site where the old Delta Hall stood.
Within the approved facility would include a fitness center with an outdoor and indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, two dance studios, basketball and racquetball courts, meeting rooms, locker rooms and an indoor track.
Blake Johnson, SGA public relations director, who was in support of the proposed resolution, said that the HPESS pool was expected to break down any day now and was regularly having problems, so the new facility would be of benefit in that area as well.
With the proposal is an increased fee that would still make ASU financially competitive among competing colleges.
The student union fee is to increase $5 per credit hour to fund the facility beginning in fall 2007 and at completion would raise from $5 to $7 to maintain the new facility.
In other business, the senate set a date a tentative date for the Breaking Down the Barriers for Feb. 5-7 and swore in Jerry Walker, a junior civil engineering major from Paragould, into the senate.
The senate also heard from guest speaker Lisa Shefelton, director of the campus Health Center, who asked the senate to consider approving a student health fee.
At this time, Shefelton said that students had to wait for an appointment and that student's needs were not being met due to the limited staff.
With the proposed fee, Shefelton said they would be able to reopen the campus pharmacy, stay open during lunch from noon to 1 p.m. and would be able to increase their staff to take care of student needs.
Shefelton proposed the possibility of a $30 fee.
The next scheduled meeting for SGA is for Jan. 16.