Resolution 0304-SP-027
A Resolution on Rebuilding the Ohio Union
Sponsor: The Executive Committee
Approved 28 May 2004.
WHEREAS the central administration at The Ohio State University is considering building a new Ohio Union; and
WHEREAS the Vice President for Student Affairs has asked for the Council of Graduate Students' position on this proposal; and
WHEREAS the current building, which opened in 1950, is in dismal condition that cannot be addressed by renovation or reconstruction; and
WHEREAS a new Ohio Union will contribute greatly to creating a welcoming environment and a thriving student culture at Ohio State; and
WHEREAS the discussions to date on the Ohio Union have occurred with significant input from the student body, including graduate students, ensuring that any proposals for a new union reflect the needs of all students at Ohio State; and
WHEREAS the proposed project includes imposing an additional student fee of $30-$45/quarter (or $120-$180/year) on all students at the Columbus campus in order to pay for the $100 million student union; and
WHEREAS the 2004-05 academic year will see the second consecutive year of tuition increases for graduate students above the historical 6% increase (9% in 2003-04 and 13.4% in 2004-05) with additional recreational fees increasing over the next few years; and
WHEREAS such a fee will greatly erode the recent gains funded graduate students at Ohio State have made in the areas of compensation and benefits; and
WHEREAS the project will overlap with the Main Library renovation, temporarily eliminating significant amounts of study space on campus,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Council of Graduate Students does not support rebuilding the Ohio Union if there is any student fee associated with the project; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of Graduate Students calls upon the central administration to move forward with this project only if it can find a way to fund a new union without putting any additional financial burden on the students at Ohio State; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of Graduate Students calls upon the central administration to ensure that adequate study space is available to students on the main campus should this project move forward concurrently with the Main Library renovation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of Graduate Students actively advocate this position, charging the President of the Council of Graduate Students to communicate to the Ohio State President, Executive Vice President and Provost, the Senior Vice President for Buisness and Finance, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Board of Trustees, and all other appropriate groups the Council's position on this matter as established by this resolution; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council asks that all decisions regarding the construction of the new union be made in conjunction with the users and tenants of the current union; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs the CGS President to report the administration's response to this resolution at the October 2004 Council meeting.
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