The west end of the Memorial Union’s main floor would be more open than it is now after renovations approved by the students are completed.
The Memorial Union will get its facelift.
Students at Emporia State University showed overwhelming support for the renovation of the student union by voting in a fee increase to pay for the project. The increase will raise student fees $50 this year and $25 each year for three succeeding years to help pay for the $18.5 million renovation.
The referendum drew a record voter turnout for ESU, with 21 percent of the student population participating, according to Angela Blaufuss, current president of the Associated Student Government.
Out of 920 votes cast, 739 students voted in favor of the fee increase and 181 students voted against it.
Blaufuss said the turnout was huge compared to years past.
“Two years ago, there was a 6 percent turnout,” Blaufuss said this morning. “Last year, there was an 8 percent voter turnout. So we’re very excited. Every time I tell that to people I get goosebumps still.”
ASG has been instrumental in driving the renovation campaign, but Blaufuss credits the students with being especially engaged in the process.
“It’s overwhelming in a sense,” she said, “because usually students don’t take time out of their day to go listen to people talk, but from the beginning of this project we’ve had students wanting to go to the vision sessions and wanting to come back to us.”
Planning for the renovation project began in 1999, but ESU president Michael Lane said the effort didn’t start in earnest until a year and a half ago.
“The most recent drive for renovation really started after I got here,” Lane said in an earlier interview.
Included in the renovation will be environmentally friendly upgrades to the union’s heating, ventilation and cooling systems. Also included will be window and lighting upgrades, with finishes in environmentally friendly materials.
“We want to make the building as green as we can as well as comfortable for our students, faculty and staff,” Lane said.
The Lawrence firm engaged to design the renovation, Treanor Architects, has held several vision sessions to gather input on what students want from their union. More accurate drawings, with square footage and cost estimates, are expected to be finished by the end of the month.
Plans for the renovation aim to make the union into a “second home” for the student population, Blaufuss said.
The east end of the Memorial Union’s main floor would be more open than it is now after renovations approved by the students are completed.
“You can have your dorm room, and that’s where you sleep, but it’s not really where you can feel engaged with your friends,” Blaufuss said. “Right now, we can’t provide very much because we don’t have the resources or the space available to provide what the students need. ... Unfortunately, with an older building you can only do so much.”
The Memorial Union originally opened in 1925, built as a tribute to the students who fought and died in World War I. Since then, the union has had four additions.
Lane said the renovation also will help with the recruitment of new students, and with the activities of current students.
“I think it’s really critical to our current and future students,” Lane said. “It really is supposed to serve as a functional meeting place, a social place, a gathering place, an eating place for our students as well as our faculty and staff.”
In addition to the student fee increases, the university is trying to raise money through donations. Lane said fundraising will continue even after construction on the project starts, and fees will decrease if enough money is raised.
“What we want to do is for every million dollars we raise, we’ll reduce that fee $10,” he said.
The project has been broken into two phases, with construction on Phase One scheduled to begin next spring. The renovation should be finished by the start of the fall 2012 semester.
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Posted by jmcmannis (anonymous) on April 9, 2009 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I voted against this because I am tired of my tution going higher and my financial aid package getting smaller.
They should have grandfathered people in who are graduating in May 2010 instead of adding to an already outrageous amount that we pay for tution.
Posted by PocketKings (anonymous) on April 9, 2009 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This just shows I should work harder to get that degree before the costs outweight the benefits.
Posted by Chevelle_Joe (anonymous) on April 10, 2009 at 12:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
When I started my learning at Emporia State University tuition was $1650 per semester. By the time I'm done it will be in the neighborhood of $2200.. I think I might look more into online classes elsewhere and save a few thousand.
Posted by GoHornets (anonymous) on April 10, 2009 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
to jmcmannis: They can't grandfather you in, or nothing would ever get done. I was part of the group that paid for the recreation center but never got to see it. You'll be part of the group paying for the union, but not using it. It's called Pride. ESU is already a very cheap, affordable college. Look outside of the little state of Kansas at the prices to go to college.... you'll realize how little you are paying for how much you are getting.
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