2008 Woodie Awards
Rec proposal rehash shows student input matters; administration comes to terms
Issue date: 2/7/08
Section: Editorial
Minnesota State's administration seems to get the idea: listening to students works.
After narrowly being defeated by a referendum last spring, administrators went back to the drawing board and came up with a new recreational facilities proposal.
On Wednesday before student senate, the administration presented a tweaked version of last year's proposals, excluding the most expensive item - a $3.2 million bubble over Blakeslee Stadium - as well as cutting back on others, such as the tennis courts. The proposal would add a few features, including an outdoor ice rink that would serve as basketball courts in warmer months. Items seen as too frivolous by students would be funded by other sources (see graphic on front).
The new proposal would amount to $8.48 million. The stripped-down version comes in response to last year's proposals, which would've burdened students with $43 to $65 more in student fees per semester. Essentially, students said those fees were too much, but they were still willing to support some sort of rec proposal; about 45 percent of voters were in favor.
This time around, some compromises have been made in favor of lower student fees: each student would pay about $30 per semester. That's considerably less than previous proposals, but one can argue facilities shouldn't come in the form of student fees. No matter how state-of-the art facilities and technology are, what is most important at a university is the quality of education. At senate, President Richard Davenport also mentioned that planning is in its early stages for new facilities for the colleges of Business and Allied Health and Nursing.
But the rec proposal isn't going to go away; it was first pitched two years ago to the tune of $21.7 million. By the firm yet humbled tone of the administration Wednesday, it appears this proposal is going to pass in some form or another, regardless. But MSU's administration made it clear that input from the student body and student senate would be considered before making any decisions.
Now it's up to students to opinionate on a rec proposal that seems to be the best choice yet.
After narrowly being defeated by a referendum last spring, administrators went back to the drawing board and came up with a new recreational facilities proposal.
On Wednesday before student senate, the administration presented a tweaked version of last year's proposals, excluding the most expensive item - a $3.2 million bubble over Blakeslee Stadium - as well as cutting back on others, such as the tennis courts. The proposal would add a few features, including an outdoor ice rink that would serve as basketball courts in warmer months. Items seen as too frivolous by students would be funded by other sources (see graphic on front).
The new proposal would amount to $8.48 million. The stripped-down version comes in response to last year's proposals, which would've burdened students with $43 to $65 more in student fees per semester. Essentially, students said those fees were too much, but they were still willing to support some sort of rec proposal; about 45 percent of voters were in favor.
This time around, some compromises have been made in favor of lower student fees: each student would pay about $30 per semester. That's considerably less than previous proposals, but one can argue facilities shouldn't come in the form of student fees. No matter how state-of-the art facilities and technology are, what is most important at a university is the quality of education. At senate, President Richard Davenport also mentioned that planning is in its early stages for new facilities for the colleges of Business and Allied Health and Nursing.
But the rec proposal isn't going to go away; it was first pitched two years ago to the tune of $21.7 million. By the firm yet humbled tone of the administration Wednesday, it appears this proposal is going to pass in some form or another, regardless. But MSU's administration made it clear that input from the student body and student senate would be considered before making any decisions.
Now it's up to students to opinionate on a rec proposal that seems to be the best choice yet.
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