The heat turned up Tuesday during the Student Government Association meeting as members passed three referendums to raise student fees.
The fees include a natatorium renovation fee of $25, a Bayou Park Recreational fee of $65, which would be used to pay for an outdoor pool in the park, and a re-institution of a $95 fee for student support.
SGA President Brooke Dugas called the student life referendum “absolutely vital” for student life to continue as it is now.
All SGA members, except for Sen. Theo Shaw, voted in favor of the referendums, saying senators needed more time to review and consider the proposals.
“Myself and a couple more of the voting senators haven’t had the opportunity and time to review this information,” said Shaw, a senior political science major, who once served on the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents.
SGA leadership said it was important the referendums be passed that night or else the University of Louisiana system wouldn’t have time to approve them.
Shaw’s opposition to the bill sparked a debate over the referendums between himself and Sophie Barksdale, who serves as assistant to Pres. Dugas.
“I was a little confused about the votes tonight, because I think we should always give our students the chance to say what they want and don’t want. We shouldn’t just automatically assume what they want,” said Barksdale, a senior History major.
Barksdale voted in favor of both referendums.
The referendums were sent to Baton Rouge for approval by the University of Louisiana System. If approved, the referendums will return to ULM for the student body to vote on them in the spring election.
student • Mar 26, 2012 at 9:39 am
Wasnt the hole deal for that going to be new pool thats way to close the Nat.. If you dont close the Nat then the new one cant be built. Why are we paying for buildings that we have to rent? Stuents already payed for it! It is ours to use rent free… Who’s idea is it to make us pay for what we already paid for???
Chris Pealer • Apr 2, 2012 at 10:09 am
The new pool can be built regardless of the fate of the Natatorium. Those are 2 seperate issues on the ballot. For the 18-month term of the agreement between the Y and ULM, students can join the Y and use the pool for free. Right now there are over 300 ULM students who have joined, and it doesn’t cost them anything to use the pool.
If the Nat stays open as an aquatics facility, the YMCA will eventually bear all the expenses.
Student • Jan 30, 2012 at 9:21 pm
I thought we voted to get rid of the nat, why are we paying a renovation fee?
Chris Pealer • Mar 17, 2012 at 2:12 pm
The fee to renovate the Nat would close it as an aquatics facility and keep it open as some sort of events center….and thereby continue the need for it to be supported by student fees. If the referendum to renovate the Nat is defeated, then the YMCA will be able to continue operating it as an aquatics center at no cost to the students.
student • Mar 20, 2012 at 12:01 am
I believe that students are still paying their fees for Nat operations now. Assuming the Nat stays open, when does the student support stop?
Andrew McDonald • Mar 21, 2012 at 8:28 am
Supposedly, as I heard during the SGA senate meeting on Tuesday night, the deal worked out allowed the YMCA 18 months, then if the students don’t want the natatorium anymore, it can be transferred over to the YMCA.