The Student Union renovations, funded almost entirely by student fees, include new Student Government offices that cost more than $1 million.
The offices, to be located in the added southeast wing, are under construction on the location of the old patio that overlooked Memorial Oak Grove. The construction includes 1,765 square feet on the first floor for executive branch use and 1,462 square feet on the third floor for legislative branch use.
Eric Monday, associate vice chancellor for Finance and Administrative Services, said the exact costs per room are not available, but the average cost per square foot is $340. Monday said the executive offices will cost $600,100 and the legislative offices will cost $497,080.
These costs are for construction only and do not include office furnishings.
Heath Hattaway, former Union Board chair and general studies senior, said plans for new SG offices date back to 2003. Plans to expand the Union also included an increase in space for student organizations. In late 2003, there were multiple meetings among administrators, SG members and other student group leaders to discuss the new space.
Hattaway said the executive offices are on the first floor because past presidents wanted the office to be located in a place often frequented by students. He said legislative offices are on the third floor because that is where other student organizations are located – and one main function of the Student Senate is to provide funding to student organizations.
SG President Cassie Alsfeld said the plans for new SG offices began long before her administration, but she has worked to reduce construction costs.
“A lot of plans previously called for what some might consider a lot of fluff,” Alsfeld said. “There was a lot of things that we didn’t see the necessity of.”
Hattaway dismissed rumors that the SG office plans once included extravagant comforts, though he admitted he had “very little input” in that stage of planning.
“I think some envisioned something similar to the State Capitol,” he said. “That’s clearly not feasible.”
Some students said they wondered why so much money was being spent on a new set of offices.
“Do they need it full time?” asked Chris Ammons, civil engineering sophomore. “I would say: Let the Student Government use their current office.”
Alsfeld said enlarged offices for SG and other organizations are a necessity.
“Students that are involved need offices and need space,” she said.
Another larger room is planned for construction on the third floor. The Senate Chamber is being built in the space previously occupied by the Ouachita and Castilian rooms.
Though it will be used by the Senate for its weekly meetings, Union Director Shirley Plakidas said the chamber will also be open for reservation by other groups.
Hattaway said the Senate Chamber will be available to bodies like the Staff Senate and will be rented to other groups.
“It will be just like any other room in the Union when the Senate’s not in session,” he said.
The new construction comes as part of renovation plans discussed since 2001. In 2003, students endorsed the Student Union and Union Theater fee, which increased by $15 over four semesters and is now $60 for full-time students.
After price increases following hurricanes Katrina and Rita in fall 2005, the administration returned to the students seeking additional funds through a fee increase. In a close vote during the spring 2007 SG elections, students rejected the $34 increase.
Following a re-examination of the fee increase and a slight reduction, the LSU Board of Supervisors passed a $29 increase at its August 2007 meeting, overriding the students’ vote.
“I don’t think that’s the right thing to do,” said Michael Greene, business sophomore. “I think $60 is enough for us to give.”
The total renovation project, with a price tag of $83.7 million, is approximately 20 percent complete. Not including theater renovations, the construction’s completion date falls on Dec. 16, 2009.
—-Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]