By Paul Esau (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: March 14, 2012
On March 19, the UFV student body are going to be asked, via a referendum on myUFV, whether or not they support an Athletics and Wellness Fee of three per cent of the cost of tuition. Sports editor Sean Evans has put together a comprehensive article on the topic on page 19 which I believe is an accurate description of the process behind the referendum, so I won’t delve into that here. What I do want to impress upon you, the student body, is the importance of paying attention to this referendum and the fee it represents.
This three per cent of tuition (at current rates) works out to about $12.50 per three-credit course per semester. The accumulated capital will be spent on supporting UFV varsity programs (volleyball, rowing, and golf are in dire need of funding), expanding campus recreation (the hiring of rec coordinators, improvement of intramural sports, and introduction of “wellness” events), and upgrading athletic facilities on UFV campuses. The proportion of the potential funds to be allotted to each area is not entirely decided, yet the implication for UFV students is clear: we are being asked to make a significant financial commitment to the continued growth of this university. We are being asked to contribute a substantial amount of money, and we are being asked to commit not only ourselves, but all future students of UFV to this endeavor.
Neither Sean nor I are interested in telling students which way to vote. Our intention is only to urge you to vote, and not let the opportunity slip by. The referendum will be open from Monday, March 19 to Wednesday, March 21, and only five per cent of UFV’s student population need to vote to make a “yes” or “no” majority official by SUS referendum policy. Don’t let five per cent decide the future of the Athletics department and its legitimate/unlegitimate claim to your hard-earned cash. Don’t sit by and squander this opportunity, only to rage in September when you see yet another fee added to your account, or you hear that UFV no longer has a volleyball program.
This is your university, and the Athletics and Wellness Fee awaits your vote. Make it count.
