With the approval of both houses of Student Government, the Student Center moves towards a student body wide vote in March.

Last month the Student Center’s efforts to expand and renovate its facilities took a big step forward with the passage of a resolution through both the undergraduate and graduate legislative bodies of Student Government. The resolution stated that, given the critical needs and missed opportunities associated with the current Student Center (mentioned in last month’s parent news), the question of whether or not a new student fee should be implemented to fund part of the project will be put before the entire student body.

The resolution, resulting in a student body vote from March 9-16, passed unanimously in the Undergraduate House of Representatives and at 29 in favor and two opposed in the Graduate Student Senate. “This result is very encouraging,” says Samantha Holloway, student chair of the Student Center Expansion Committee. “SGA Students are scrutinizing and thoughtful, so the enthusiastic approval from both bodies tells us our argument for a new building is sound and well thought out. They are ready to hear the thoughts of our fellow students, as am I!” Approval from the Student Government serves as a greenlight for the Student Center to launch a campaign encouraging students to vote on this important issue.

The student body vote will ask students to approve or reject a new fee that would cover 50 percent of the project’s proposed $100 million budget, with the remaining funds coming from the Institute, and Auxiliary Services.  “This type of funding scenario is not uncommon for projects like this,” said Lindsay Bryant, Interim Director of the Student Center. “The majority of student center expansions and renovations within the USG are funded, at least in part, by students.”

The proposed fee would not exceed $85 per semester and would be implemented once the new facilities are open for student use. Although this means that the students voting on the fee will not necessarily be the ones paying it or benefitting from the new facility as students, it is still important that the student body participates in the vote. “Nothing will catalyze this project like widespread student support for the project,” Holloway said.  “Students like me who vote for the fee will be able to draw a sense of pride as alumni visiting the new facility, knowing we were instrumental in bringing this much-needed change to campus.”

With the announcement of the approved resolution, the Student Center kicked off a campaign of weekly events and activities to engage the student body in the re(in)novation project. Additionally, weekly behind-the-scenes tours of the building are being offered to the entire campus community (including Georgia Tech parents and families) to demonstrate firsthand some of the critical needs of the facility. The 45-minute tours depart from the information desk, located on the second floor, Tuesdays at 11:10 a.m. Anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved in the project is encouraged to visit www.reinnovation.studentcenter.gatech.edu