Cold and impersonal. Administrative conference center. Downright oppressive

These are the terms that students have used to describe the Busch Memorial Center, the student union.

For the mere price of $50 per semester, the administration offered each student the opportunity to purchase a new student union. And, thanks to the Student Government Association, that’s just what students will do, beginning in fall semester of 2001.

For 10 years, the students of Saint Louis University have asked for something new, something useful and something that students will want to use.

Now the plans for a new student union are in the works due in part to shared governance.

SGA decided at last night’s meeting to agree to the administration’s plan for a complete renovation of the BMC. Only one catch: students will pay for it.

SGA agreed to endorse the “SLUnion Fee” for the purpose of the complete renovation and expansion of the BMC. In a proposed deal with the administration, students will compose 50 percent of the committee in charge of choosing what changes will be made to the building.

Administrative Vice President Chad Kreikemeier presented the issue that the building is outdated and no longer adequate to meet the needs of the students.

“This is what we’ve been wanting for 10 years,” Kreikemeier said. “This is our chance to actually do something.”

Brian Altenhofen, administrative vice president-elect, presented the two options for a new student union: a $40-million new building or expand the current building for half of the price.

Parks Senator Matt Love provided information about why students should pay for renovations to the building that will not be completed in their time at the University. The new union will “raise the respect of the University nationwide” and increase the value of the SLU degrees, according to Love.

The 2001-02 academic year has brought a tuition increase of 6.9 percent and an average housing rate increase of 16.4 percent. The unique part of this fee is that it will exist only until the building is paid off.

The plan involves a $50-per-semester fee for full-time students, and a $25 fee for part-time students, but is not expected to last more than the next 15 years. The administration has promised to search for adequate fundraising in addition to the student fee.

SGA President Jay Perry said this is “truly shared governance working.” It began more than a year and half ago with the SLUnion planning committee and has come back around full circle to the SGA, according to Perry.

Kathy Humphrey, vice president for student development, said that there are no definite plans on how to change the BMC, only recommendations from students and pro-bono architects.

Perry spoke about the possible new student union: “It will be the place to chill; the place on campus.”

Perry also created a mini-video titled “See It and Believe It.” He spoke about the out-dated BMC: “We started it in 1968, but we’ve come a long way since then.”

Paul Woody, Arts and Sciences senator, asked, “Why not just wait another week to get more student opinion?”

The main response from Humphrey and Perry was that the administration was ready to act immediately. “We’ve got to jump on board,” Perry said.

School of Business Senator Nick Fagan said that if the SGA didn’t approve this bill, students would still pay for the student union increase through tuition. But SGA could lose its student input and thus the entire notion of shared governance, according to Fagan.

Rich Bergin, commuter senator, questioned whether students who could prove they cannot budget an additional $100 per year would have to pay the fee.

Several senators throughout the evening supported the idea that a $100 fee is feasible by every student.

Many more senators expressed concern about students having to pay an additional fee. However, almost everyone was in agreement that the students need a new student union.

“We knew we were going to have to pay for this,” Kreikemeier said. “Now we have a price. Let’s go.”

During debate, Bergin said that many other students at the University have paid for the facilities that current students are using. “It’s time to bite the bullet and pay for this,” he said.

Applause filled the auditorium.

After almost three hours of debate, the resolution to support the SLUnion plan and student fee was approved by a vote of 31-3-1.

Other Business

The House of Governors, in their joint meeting with the Senate, approved a house bill to amend the HOG Bylaws and Standing Rules “to reflect changes in membership, officers, qualifications, meetings and duties.”

Notable changes include the power for the HOG to charter student organizations, meeting twice a month as opposed to once and specifying which members of an organization should attend HOG meetings.

These changes reflect that SGA will no longer be in charge of chartering student organizations. Now that power is given to HOG.

Another large piece of legislation was the parking resolution.

For the third consecutive week parking has been a major issue to the Senate.

Two weeks ago, a resolution was amended until it did very little to rectify any parking problems.

Last week, Perry vetoed the bill in an attempt to give the Senate a chance to re-write the legislation with some substance.

Last night, a new bill was introduced. It was approved. Perry promised not to veto it.

After meeting with Parking and Cards Services, the resolution now reflects changes in favor of both the commuters and the residents of the SLU campus.

The resolution originally asked for a lot dedicated solely to commuter parking. The approved legislation now asks that the four lots dedicated only to resident parking be made available to anyone with a general parking pass.

To make it fair for all students, commuter or resident, SGA will recommend that the parking fees for all general parking be made equal. Currently, residents pay more than commuters. However, without resident-only lots, the prices would be made equal by lowering resident parking prices but increasing commuters.

The main opposition to the resolution was that all six co-authors were commuters.

Matt Morrissey, Village Apartments senator, thought the bill was a nice compromise, meeting both the needs of the commuters and the residents.

Morrissey, along with John Eckert, first-year senator, asked to be added as co-sponsors to the resolution.

It passed unanimously ending the longest SGA meeting of the school year at a little more than four and a half hours.