SGA approves fund disbursement for student union
Funding was approved for a $15 million to $20 million project to expand and reorganize the Bovee University Center.
A resolution passed at the Student Government Association meeting Monday, approving the release of funds from the Campus Improvement Fee account to complete the student union endeavor.
“We have been surveying and gathering information and found that this is what students want and that is why the resolution was passed,” said Sen. Steve Latour, Berkley junior and resolution author.
This is the biggest thing SGA has ever undertaken, he said.
“It is the most monumental decision we have ever made,” Latour said. “It directly affects the students and the impact will be felt for decades to come.”
After the resolution was passed to approve the funding, the project will now continue by presenting a plan to the Board of Trustees Thursday.
“If the Board approves the proposal, we can begin bringing architects to make final plans that will be presented to the Board of Trustees in March,” Latour said.
If the final plan is approved by the Board, plans can proceed for selling bonds and ground breaking could begin in the fall.
“It is important that the students are here for the ground breaking because it is their building,” Latour said.
There is still a lot of planning to be done, but this is the first step in completing the building, he said.
“This is a very good and long overdue thing,” Latour said. “It will give the university the renewed life that it really needs.”
Now that the project is under way, the SGA Student Services committee is determining what the next task funded by the Campus Improvement Fee should be, he said.
In other news:
- A resolution supporting the addition of a leadership minor was tabled until the Jan. 28 general board meeting.
“We felt that we wanted to explain the issue more to people because there are a lot of unanswered questions,” said Sen. Nicole Wright, Clinton Twp. junior and co-author of the resolution.
“We want this minor added in order to give students more options, but there are concerns for funding. We want to make sure it will be self-funded and the money won’t be taken away from some where else.”
- At 7 p.m. today in the BUC Auditorium there will be an open forum sponsored by SGA and CM LIFE discussing how the Campus Improvement Fee funds should be distributed. The event is free and open to the public.
