2008 Woodie Awards
Students say building new union is best choice
2,242 voted to determine future of University Union
By April Aven
Rocket Assistant News Editor
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
The students have spoken.
Now it's up to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's Board of Governors to listen.
Students overwhelmingly voted in favor of constructing a new 118,000-square-foot union that would create a one-stop student services center. This option, referred to throughout the process as "Option A," would mean that the university union fee charged to each student would be $382.80 per semester, but will not take effect until 2011.
Roughly 27 percent of the SRU student body voted concerning the future of the university union, with 2,086 of the 2,242 total votes-or 93 percent-going in favor of Option A.
Option B, which was to expand the current union, and Option C, leaving the current union as is, each received 78 votes each, or about 3.5 percent of the vote.
Option B would mean a university union fee of $404.30 beginning in 2011, while Option C would have resulted in a $346 fee, as the figure increases by $50 per academic year anyway.
The online voting took place from March 27 until April 1 and was conducted by Student Voice, an independent third-party contractor.
Although the students have voted, the PASSHE Board of Governors must still approve any construction for a new union.
SRU President Robert Smith said that the board will meet April 10 to discuss the funding for the project.
"The voting will definitely help make it happen with the board," Smith said.
In 2005, 588 students voted to build a new union while 159 voted in favor of renovating the current one. A delay in getting the project approved by the PASSHE back then caused SRU to be held up from receiving the bonds to begin construction on the project.
The PASSHE Board of Governors wanted to confirm students' support for the new building.
Assistant Vice President of Student Life Paula Olivero said that the turnout for the voting was exceptional.
"The students showed their Rock pride by reaffirming student support to build a new University Union," she said.
Now it's up to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's Board of Governors to listen.
Students overwhelmingly voted in favor of constructing a new 118,000-square-foot union that would create a one-stop student services center. This option, referred to throughout the process as "Option A," would mean that the university union fee charged to each student would be $382.80 per semester, but will not take effect until 2011.
Roughly 27 percent of the SRU student body voted concerning the future of the university union, with 2,086 of the 2,242 total votes-or 93 percent-going in favor of Option A.
Option B, which was to expand the current union, and Option C, leaving the current union as is, each received 78 votes each, or about 3.5 percent of the vote.
Option B would mean a university union fee of $404.30 beginning in 2011, while Option C would have resulted in a $346 fee, as the figure increases by $50 per academic year anyway.
The online voting took place from March 27 until April 1 and was conducted by Student Voice, an independent third-party contractor.
Although the students have voted, the PASSHE Board of Governors must still approve any construction for a new union.
SRU President Robert Smith said that the board will meet April 10 to discuss the funding for the project.
"The voting will definitely help make it happen with the board," Smith said.
In 2005, 588 students voted to build a new union while 159 voted in favor of renovating the current one. A delay in getting the project approved by the PASSHE back then caused SRU to be held up from receiving the bonds to begin construction on the project.
The PASSHE Board of Governors wanted to confirm students' support for the new building.
Assistant Vice President of Student Life Paula Olivero said that the turnout for the voting was exceptional.
"The students showed their Rock pride by reaffirming student support to build a new University Union," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story