At a 7:30 a.m. meeting shortly ahead of Thanksgiving break, the senate of the Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno voted to support the $25 million Fieldhouse project and its $3.50 per credit student fee. The resolution was later sent to the Board of Regents, who approved the fees Dec. 5.
Senators also showed their support for the Counseling Services fee increase and a new undergraduate minor for outdoorsy students.
Fieldhouse lobbying continues, some step up to criticize
Student athletes and their supporters again filled public comment with support for the Fieldhouse project and funding it through a student fee.
Chantelle Twigs, director of Track & Field and Cross Country, said the opportunity to practice inside during adverse weather would help put the university on par with top schools.
Student athletes again argued that practicing outdoors in frost or smoke can be dangerous, and that the high cost of the Fieldhouse would be worth it in days of practice gained.
Emma Silveyra, an associate justice with ASUN, previously gave public comment critical of the Fieldhouse. Silveyra came to the Nov. 27 meeting with a student petition against the project that had garnered 132 signatures since she sent it out.
“‘Students are already struggling to pay their rent and get by,’” Silveyra read from a comment one student had left on the petition. “‘I’m late on my tuition payment to put a roof over my head.’”
Resolution for the project passes with a split house
A resolution in support of the project passed the senate with 12 votes in support, and seven counted as opposed, including some abstentions — which is when a senator who’s there for the vote doesn’t vote either yes or no.
Leif Acklin, a senator for the College of Liberal Arts who’s previously stood staunchly against student fees and voted against a fee increase for tutoring services, authored the resolution in support of the Fieldhouse project.
Joel Martin, a senator for the College of Liberal Arts, had previously said on Oct. 16 that he would write a resolution in opposition to the project on the grounds that donors should fund it instead of students. Martin ended up voting in support of the project.
Abigail Castro, senator for the School of Social Work, said that she saw the benefit in the project for student athletes, but didn’t hear any support from constituents.
“Every single one of them did mention that they are against student fees for something that they don’t see how they’ll benefit from,” Castro said. “My vote no reflects the voices of my constituents.”
Yes to Counseling Services fee increase
Senators voted almost unanimously to support the university’s Counseling Services fee increase proposal, which would raise the regular semester fee from $70 to $95 and decrease the summer term fee from $47.50. The resolution passed with just one abstention and was later approved by the Board of Regents with all other fee increases for the university Dec. 5.
Camille Levy, a senator for the College of Science, said that the fee increase was worth it despite food and housing insecurity on the rise because despite the price, mental health services are needed to face these issues.
“Typically, people who are low income tend to be high in food insecurity and high in mental health issues,” Levy said. “Improving mental health will at least address one of those issues.”
Unanimous Support For ODAL
Outdoor Adventure and Leadership, a new minor coming to the university, would allow students to take coursework related to leading outdoor recreation activities like skiing, backpacking and rafting.
A resolution in support of the minor, authored by Martin, passed unanimously.
Peregrine Hart can be reached via email at peregrineh@unr.edu or on Instagram @pintofperegrine.
