ASUP resolution requires further approval

By The Beacon | October 26, 2011 9:00pm

Senate votes to change Capital Improvement Fund to include sponsoring campus events, requiring further approval from students and adminisration

By Sarah Hansell Staff Writer hansell14@up.edu

On Oct. 24, the ASUP Senate voted 27 to 2 in favor of allowing its Capital Improvement Fund (CIF) to be used for sponsoring campus events in addition to capital improvements.

In the past, the CIF - $20,000 a semester - has gone toward a physical improvement each semester. Past improvements include water bottle refill station, outdoor seating areas and the ADvantage screens in the residence halls.

Resolution 11-07 would change the CIF to the Major Project Fund (MPF), expanding its use to include events, such as speeches and concerts.

Because Resolution 11-07 violates ASUP's constitution, which restricts the CIF's use to physical improvements, ASUP must take two more steps before the resolution can be put into effect: a student-wide vote, which will occur in November on the PilotsUP website, and University President approval, according to senior and ASUP President Zack Imfeld.

The majority of ASUP senators think this resolution creates many new opportunities.

"We believe one really big memorable event will have a bigger impression than, say, a physical improvement that you may not even use," sophomore and ASUP Senator Charlie Taylor said.

"Honestly the way I see it, your college experience isn't defined by your water bottle refill stations; it's about the experience," junior and ASUP Senator Kyle Hamm said. "We're going to look back and remember that we saw a bomb Lupe Fiasco concert on campus or a major production."

According to Imfeld, some opponents of this resolution might think it gives the fund to CPB, but Imfeld disagrees.

"I don't think this resolution is giving CPB more money," Imfeld said. "It's really just giving students more opportunity to do great things with their money."

However, other senators think UP should reserve the funding for physical improvements because it is more difficult for small schools, like UP, to get funding for small physical improvements to campus.

"I think that it's important for a school that's small to take advantage of those opportunities because in a school that's big, there's more money to play around with," senior and ASUP Senator Alex Risinger said. "Who's going to vote for a crosswalk when they could have a popular band come to campus?"

Junior and ASUP Senator Bridget Brown thinks this resolution will cause physical improvements on campus to be ignored.

"I feel like this will create a precedent that we will be obliged to hold a major event while neglecting physical needs on campus," Brown said.

Many students think the resolution is a good idea.

"I'm a tour guide, and I know that I'm going to talk about a concert or a cool event that is happening at UP to make the kids shake with excitement rather than talking about bike racks," sophomore Sierra Bray said.

Many students would like to see more big events on campus.

"I think it's be cool because a lot of other school have concerts and we don't have any," freshman Kelsey Esch said.

Other students think restricting the fund to physical improvements is too limiting.

"Improvement in the school is great, but I feel like if it's just being restricted to that use then I think that there are some opportunities that it could be used for that are missed out on," senior Amelia Gradt said.

Some students think more major events would help make UP more well-known.

"It's shocking that the rest of the city doesn't know (about UP)," senior Ryan Key said. "If the school's going to continue to expand at this rate that can't continue."

This semester's CIF will not be affected by the change, which is expected to be finalized within the next the weeks.


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