The hottest debate in this year’s ASUSU elections isn’t between the candidates — it’s over the proposal of new recreation facilities at Utah State University.
On the final elections ballot, students can vote on a proposal known as the Aggie Recreation Center and Aggie Legacy Fields. The proposed building project would include a new recreation center for students, as well as new synthetic turf fields to replace the existing HPER fields.
USU officials proposing the ARC say it will support an expanded vision of student recreation, providing a much-needed improvement of current facilities and amenities in the heart of the campus.
If approved by the student body, construction for the ARC and ALF is estimated to cost approximately $30 million. The projected completion date for the ARC is Aug. 2015, while the ALF could be completed by Aug. 2012. Both the ARC and ALF are on the ballot as one proposal for student’s approval.
In order to pay for the new facilities, students will pay a fee of $25 per semester from Fall 2012 to Spring 2015. This fee will increase to $75 per semester beginning Fall 2015.
But there is a hot debate about whether the ARC and accompanying fees are necessary — with some students actively campaigning against the proposal.
“Any time student fees go up or tuition is raised it disenfranchises a certain percentage of the student population, as well as it will kill local businesses,” said Mikey Rodgerson, a student and member of Students Against Academic Waste. “There are several local businesses that depend on students from Utah State University for their business.”
SAAW is a recently formed organization specifically founded to combat the ARC proposal. Rodgerson and Brayden Smith have both devoted time to try and educate students as to why they shouldn’t vote in favor of the proposal.
“We’re just kind of an organization, all the students are working together to pursue a common goal of getting the ARC voted down,” Smith said.
Some opponents of the proposal are also worried that building the ARC will negatively impact local businesses in the community.
“It will hurt, it will be a huge financial impact. It could be a 10 to 15 percent hit on us financially,” said Dan Smith, general manager at the Sports Academy and Racket Club.
Dan Smith, who is not related to Brayden Smith, questions whether the university truly understands the need and eventual cost of the future facilities.
“Why spend $30 million? I would guarantee it will not be $30 million. It will be $35 or $40 million,” Dan Smith said. “Right now the school is having a hard enough time getting private donations that fund athletic programs as far as buildings and the stadium renovations and the Spectrum. They keep saying they will go get donations for a student rec center and I don’t see it happening when the athletics department is already having a hard time.”
Despite the people and organizations that oppose the new rec center, many feel it would be a great improvement to the university.
“The Aggie Recreation Center is really a part of a broader initiative to fully develop more indoor and outdoor recreational spaces for students on the Logan Campus,” said James Morales, vice president of student services. “The Aggie Recreation Center is simply one of the pieces that fits into that larger agenda.”
“It will bring prestige to the University, it will increase the value of your degree. When people use these facilities their GPA goes up, they’re happier, they’re less stressed. The benefits are just really endless” said Erik Mikkelson, current ASUSU president.
Morales said this is a student-driven initiative that has been in the works for over a decade, and would actually benefit local businesses.
“For example there are different ways to build climbing facilities.” Morales said. “The ARC will provide maybe the basic level of climbing, kind of learning the ropes if you will. But then, partnering with the local businesses, Rock Haus for example, it will benefit them in two ways. Maybe they can come in and provide some instruction at the basic level, but when those basic level students are ready to move to the more advanced and technical training, we won’t provide that. We’ll let the local businesses provide that. We feel like we’ll feed those local businesses.”
“The ultimate goal was to put it before students for referendum.” Morales said.
Julia Stock, Parker Jeppesen, Katie Carter, Adison Pace, Victoria Hepworth, Joe Bagnes, Jessica Jolley and Matt Skabelund contributed to this report.
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