Student survey conducted

By Melanie Klein
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 18, 1996

Charles C. LaBenz
Arizona Daily Wildcat

Undergraduate Senate Chairman Gilbert Davidson conducts a survey on the UA Mall regarding opinions about the Integrated Instructional Facility that is planned to be build under the Mall just east of the Main Library. From left, Jessica Braun, media arts senior; Amanda Stern, media arts senior; Sen. Davidson; and Scott Sher, sociology senior, fill out the five-question survey.

[]

ASUA representatives will be on the UA Mall today gathering student opinions about the $22.5 million construction of the an underground facility especially designed for freshmen.

Gilbert Davidson, Under-graduate Senate chairman, who is organizing the survey to obtain student's views about the Integrated Instructional Facility, is circulating a five-question survey around campus this week.

Construction for the IIF building is scheduled to begin in May 1997. The underground facility is designed for freshmen and first-year students to fulfill their general education requirements there.

The survey also asks whether students support tuition increases to fund new buildings.

Associated Students representatives plan to present the results of the 300 student surveys at the Arizona Board of Regents meeting Sept. 26.

"I wanted to get as much student input as I could," Davidson said. "I'm concerned that when the Senate stands up before the board, we really do represent the way students feel."

Diem Hoang, exercise and sports sciences senior, who filled out the survey Monday, said, "(The IIF) is a good and new idea, but the entire student body will end up paying for."

Davidson said he feels that the university needs to make existing structures, like the Memorial Student Union, a priority before they invest in new buildings which would increase tuition rates.

ASUA President Rhonda Wilson said the Memorial Student Union is not given priority on campus, despite the obvious attention it needs. Since this March, the Union has received 104 violations for blocked hallways, insufficient fire exits and fire safety vio lations due to the deterioration of the building.

"There is not enough emphasis on the Union when the administration is beginning new building projects like the IIF building," Wilson said.

In August, the Regents approved a multiyear bonding plan of $245.4 million for all three state universities. A provision, however, stated that the money can only be used for renovations on existing buildings.

New building projects already in the works, such as IIF, could move forward in its planning stages, but would be subject to an outside review.

The review, requested by the regents, would examine how much bonds increase tuition, the effectiveness of money spent, and if bonding would put the universities in a potential financial crisis.

"Bonding puts an upward pressure on tuition because the debt must be paid off. Twenty-five cents of every dollar in tuition fees already goes to pay past bonding debts," Wilson said.

The priority of all students is to keep tuition affordable, she said.


(NEXT_STORY)

(NEXT_STORY)