ASUSU provides funding for new TSC lounge
Closures in the Registration Office over Winter Break were announced, a bill appropriating $25,000 toward the Taggart Student Center was passed and another bill with relation to the new recital hall was moved to a second reading at the Executive Council meeting of the Associated Students of Utah State University Tuesday night.
Bill 05-14 provided $25,000 towards furnishings and decor for a lounge that will take the place of Student Services behind the TSC Auditorium.
Student Services is already beginning the move to the first floor of University Inn, said Tagg Archibald, ASUSU executive vice president.
The bill was moved through both a first and second reading Tuesday night.
“Right now, our invested interest is nothing unless we pass this,” Archibald said. “We’ve got to do it now.”
Jason Pickup, Engineering senator, expressed concern over the bill being passed through so quickly.
“This is a $25,00 bill. We’ve got to ask students about what they think before we pass it,” he said.
Archibald said if the council didn’t pass the bill immediately, it was very likely the space would be given elsewhere and the lounge wouldn’t be created.
“There are other departments who want that space,” he said.
Joe Barnard, ASUSU administrative assistant, said the lounge will include TVs and there is a future possibility of bringing in businesses.
“This will make the student center a student center,” Barnard said.
Juan Franco, vice president of student services, said Student Services has fronted $50,000 for the remodeling and construction of the new lounge.
Archibald said it is now up to the students to fund the other $25,000 needed to fund the furniture and decor. Archibald also said there is also enough money with in the $25,000 to fund security measures to protect the new lounge.
“If this is going to be a student lounge, this is going to have to be funded by the students,” said Kathy Leslie, activities vice president.
“I think this will increase unity for the university,” Jimi Jorgenson, athletics vice president, said. “Students don’t really have the opportunity to get together except for the clubs they are already a part of.”
Heidi Beck, the university’s associate registrar, announced to the council that President Kermit L. Hall has requested the Registrar’s Office and QUAD system be closed Dec. 28, 29 and 30 in order to keep utility costs low and allow employees time off during the holiday.
“This is a two-fold issue,” she said, “and budget is the biggest part.”
Beck said it is costing the university large amounts of money to keep the TSC open and staff the Registrar’s Office during the break and very few students are using the QUAD during those days.
“International students are impacted most by this,” she said. “Many of them are still on campus, whereas most other students are not around during the break.”
Also at the meeting, a bill sponsored by Brandon Halford, HASS senator was moved into a second reading.
If passed, the bill will appropriate $4,000 to be donated toward seats in the new recital hall under construction near the Fine Arts Building.
The bill states, “The donation will be a direct investment in the arts for the whole of the ASUSU.”
Halford said the donations will be used to purchase eight seats in the $8.5 million facility, of which $6.3 million has been donated by community members Kathryn Caine Wanlass and Manon Caine Russell.
“This is a great way to show our recognition of these great women,” Halford said.
The bill we be voted on next week.
-bnelson@cc.usu.edu