As the PR coordinator for student council, and organizer of the Pavilion Expansion survey, I was surprised when reading the Letter from the Editor in The Horizon’s last issue, some things represented were untrue. I would like to take this opportunity to correct a few things.
During the March 5-9 survey, I was the person who handed the editor his Pavilion survey, I can say that questions about fees and additional information were asked and answered to the best of my ability.
All surveyors were instructed not to give advice to students, just to present the facts. Student council wants to inform students and provide opportunities for them to share their opinions. With over 80 percent of 1,100 surveyed students agreeing that they’d like to spend student money on the Pavilion Expansion, we did our part to get a large amount of student feedback, just as previous student councils have done.
Students should know that the student council never purposefully tried to convey that the building was “practically paid for” as the editor stated. We told students what we knew at the time – that WCC was considering helping pay for the building. It wasn’t until April 19, 2012 that the council learned WCC would not be helping pay for the expansion but that they would be paying for the maintenance and operations of the facility if it is built.
As we moved through the survey process council members have consistently shared information through multiple venues such as Facebook, The Horizon, tables around campus, and a public forum, to keep students informed. Students have shared that they feel the new building would bring a sense of community; more campus jobs to students, a better place to work out, rooms for club use, a place to hang out with friends, the list just goes on.
Yes, as the Editor points out, it’s a lot of money that students would be paying. But WCC wouldn’t be the first to pay an additional student fee for a gym. According to research done by Kris Baier, Director of Student Life and Athletics, other community college students in Washington pay, on average, about $150 a year for similar buildings.
Kelsey Rowlson
