The LSU System has not decided whether to place the Union fee proposal on the Board agenda for its July 12 meeting, said Charles Zewe, LSU System vice president of communications and external affairs. Chancellor Sean O’Keefe requested June 8
“The System President, Dr. William L. Jenkins, has the issue under advisement,” Zewe said.
Jenkins has two weeks to decide if the proposed Union fee increase will be put on the Board agenda. The July 12 agenda must be mailed to the Board by July 5.
The student body declined the Union fee proposal, which would mostly have funded theater renovations in the spring 2007 Student Government election. The $34 Union fee, split into increments of $8 spread over four semesters, would have been added to the $60 students are already paying for the renovations each semester. “If it doesn’t make it onto the July agenda, the issue will have to wait until September,” Zewe said.
If the Union fee proposal is not included in the next bond issuance, it may be a year or two before the next opportunity arises, and the theater would be excluded from the current project.
“Bonds are usually issued by LSU when several projects are clustered together and if it is to be a part of the next bundle, we need to know by August.” said Shirley Plakidas, Union director.
Graduate School President Donald Hodge said he believes if the Union fee proposal makes it to the Board agenda, it will be a close vote.
“I hope they will respect the student vote,” Hodge said.
Some consider the significance of the student vote debatable because the margin – 50.99 percent against, 49.01 percent in favor – was razor thin.
“The referendum would’ve passed if 69 students had voted ‘for’ instead of ‘against’ the fee,” Plakidas said.
Hodge contends if there been a 100 percent turnout, it would have been a greater defeat. Past turnouts for student referendums have averaged 10 percent of the student body before online voting, resulting in a 23 percent turnout.
Chris Odinet, 2006-2007 SG president, said he does not believe the results were a true representation of the entire student body.
“I would hope they still do whatever it takes to get the Union Theater renovated,” Odinet said, who supported the Union fee during his presidential term.
SG President Cassie Alsfeld, who sits on the Board of Supervisors, agrees with Odinet that the theater is an important asset and needs to be renovated, but will honor the student’s vote if the measure goes before the board.
“I’ve told administrators I would vote ‘against’ the fee if it goes before the Board because I have to respect the student’s choice,” said Alsfeld, who she supported the fee during her campaign.
Alsfeld said she voted for the fee increase during the spring election.
“I believe the right thing is for the theater to be renovated,” Alsfeld said.
Alsfeld said she will side with students in hopes students will help her find alternative funding.
“Students should be proactive and try to offer real concrete solutions,” Alsfeld said.
Finance senior Andrew Ashbey questioned the University’s motion to send the fee to the Board.
“Why would they ask students to vote if it’s not going to matter?,” Ashbey said.
Students are concerned about the precedence set by the Board’s action.
“If it starts with this issue, they’ll take it to the Board every time they don’t get what they want,” said Britni Henderson, architecture senior.
If a source of funding is found this summer, the Union theater’s construction would begin June 2008 and take approximately 10 months. If it does not pass, the project could be reduced to smaller plans strung out over eight to 10 years.
“If the Union fee proposal isn’t passed the plan would evolve into smaller sequential plans to be funded through surplus reserves from the Union operating funds,” Plakidas said.
The current reserve of $2 million is specifically earmarked for maintenance emergencies and plant funds including elevator and AC repair, according to Plakidas. Hodge said he is adamant students must have their voices heard, and encourages them to attend the July 12 meeting at the LSU System Building.
“There needs to be a level of activism or students will be shut out of the process,” Hodge said.
—Contact Morgan Ford at [email protected]