NC State’s Student Senate voted to pass the Carmichael Addition and Renovation Fee Act, which will result in a yearly student fee of $92.50 per student — $47.50 per semester. The overall cost of the project is $44 million.
The bill was voted on 34-6 in favor of passing the bill. Student Senators voted on the cheaper option; the other option was to raise the student fee for the project to $57.50. The difference between this and the other proposed plan is that in the new plan, there will not be a new track loop adjacent to the basketball courts.
The renovation plan will add 8,000 square feet of functional training areas with a sprint ramp, 12,000 square feet of fitness space, a wellness suite, a rock wall, more personal training and small group spaces to University Recreation. The project will also connect the gym and the Recreation Center to allow easier access.
The biggest problem with the infrastructure now is the safety violations, according to Eric Hawkes, director of University Recreation. There are $7.5 million worth of safety code and inaccessibility deficiencies, according to University Recreation’s website. The project will fix about $4 million of these deficiencies, Hawkes said. Some of the violations are missing fire alarm panels and sprinkler systems. There is also an issue of accessibility to the entire basement level of the gym, as it is currently only accessible through the stairs. Hawkes said the plan is to add an elevator.
“As a student who has a mobility issue, not being able to get to a space that you are paying for is a problem,” Hawkes said.
With the increased student fees, the renovation project will replace existing multipurpose rooms and storage spaces that are not being used efficiently. Hawkes explained that the original gym had a lot of squash courts, which are now being used as storage areas, rooms for group fitness classes or for table tennis.
Jason Spivey, associate director of University Recreation, said some of the lower-level rooms end up having frequent issues with water damage and flooding, resulting in these rooms never being used.
“I know as an employee of University Recreation and someone who wants to work in the recreation field that the building is outdated and has underutilized space,” said Tyler Burton, a program assistant for Facility Operations at University Recreation. “We should want to leave NC State better than when we got here.”
A three-hour meeting between University Recreation, Student Government and university administration took place last week to come up with a reasonable compromise for the fee hike. Jonathan Riggs, a member of the Student Senate, did not approve of the original project because of what it would cost students. Riggs said he believes college is already expensive enough and doesn’t need to cost more.
“We’re only agreeing to support that plan on the conditions that they actively pursue fundraising options and the Student Government will be helping with the oversight,” Riggs said.
Membership fees will also be raised for non-students at University Recreation to help pay for the renovations.
Completion of the project is planned for the fall of 2020.
