Excerpt from WDTN
Wright State students are hitting the polls this week to vote on whether to fund a new recreation center.
Money for the project would come directly from semester fees.
The idea has come under criticism for several reasons. One being: Wright State cut 53 million dollars out of their budget in 2018. The other: Students voting on this today will not likely pay for it.
Currently, Wright State students pump iron in a 60,000 sq. ft. room within the Student Union.
Compare that to other universities, like the University of Cincinnati, which has over 200,000 sq. ft. dedicated to recreation space.
"Campus recreation has a really strong, positive correlation as far as enrollment and academic achievement," claims WSU student body president, Daniel Palmer.
He won't be the president when the fee kicks in. If approved, students wouldn't pay until 2021 or later.
Students would pay roughly $260 a semester. That equals nearly $2,000 over 4 plus years of schooling.
"Any space that is in the Student Union that has recreation in it would be repurposed and renovated into student work places or student gathering spaces, and maybe even a sports bar," said Palmer.
Some students feel the Student Union already has limited space and by clearing out the current recreation area, would open study space up.
"Our student organizations really would benefit from it. Have the space open for them for projects instead of just our little closet hiding rooms we have right now," said Tori Flanigan, a WSU nursing student.
However, with voting underway, some students are clueless of the vote.
"Have not heard a thing about it," said one sophomore.
"Honestly, I didn't even know they were going to be building a new rec center," said a WSU freshman.
WSU students have tried to pass this before. One attempt failed in the 90's and again in 2014.
"What people don't understand about this new campus is how much money it will bring in. We will have fields to rent out, basketball courts and new events," said Colton May, a WSU business major.
