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Student Commons or Student Scamming?
October 31st, 2007 by Lori | Co-EditorBy now you’ve probably seen tons of UTSU flyers and posters all over campus promoting the construction of a student-run space called Student Commons. It sounds pretty nice at first; after all, who wouldn’t want a 24-hour student space or space for student organizations? Before you buy into this, some things you may want to consider.
Firstly, the UTSU is proposing that all students pay $5 per session during the construction of this place and $14.25 per session after it opens to pay off the mortgage. It doesn’t stop there — they are asking for $6.50 more per session for operating and capital renewal costs. Do your math and this adds up to $20.75 per session! Furthermore, are these costs not subject to change? This is, after all, only a propsal. Hmm…
Another thing that really bugs people is the fact that we actually have to pay for a space like this. Do you think the University of Toronto should be responsible for these costs? What is this space going to look like anyway? What if we don’t like how it turns out?
For more information, check out the links below:
An article by The Varsity against the idea.
The Student Commons website.
A utoronto LiveJournal post discussing it
Make your opinion heard by voting anytime from now until November 2nd. Polling stations are at the following locations:
SIDNEY SMITH LOBBY
WOODSWORTH RESIDENCE LOBBY
ATHLETIC CENTRE
MEDICAL SCIENCES BUILDING
TRINITY COLLEGE
ALUMNI HALL (ST. MIKE’S)
October 31st, 2007 at 9:03 pm
The idea of such a student commons is a great one.
The execution? Shamelessly poor.
Where are the details? Where’s the accountability? For a project that’s asking roughly 1/2 Million per term ($20 per student, assuming a conservative estimate of 25 000 undergrads), this is an awfully vague proposal. (Yes, I read all 21 pages of it)
Ask yourself this. If you had 1/2 Million. Would you give it up based this this extremely poor excuse of a proposal?
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:46 am
The ironic thing is by the time this thing is built, I WON’T BE HERE ANYMORE. God.
U of T is one of the largest and wealthiest universities in Canada; they can pony up a student commons, which ought to have been in place years ago.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:38 am
I believe strongly in student space on campus, but the way that UTSU has approached it is disturbing.. The mentality that we HAVE to pay a levy for student space if we want to control it, is so misguided. We pay tuition, we pay taxes to the government and UofT is a public institution. This is what should be used to construct spaces that students need. And we gain control of these spaces (which are rightfully ours) by demanding control of them not by paying additional and unwarranted fees. It is a form of privatization to make students pay user fees (on top of tuition and taxes) for a building that is for the common good. UTSU is appeasing the University administration by trying to put the burden on students to pay for this building rather than putting the pressure on U of T (the richest University in Canada) to channel our tuition and their budget into something that students actually want.
Student groups are being evicted from their spaces all across campus (e.g., CIUT, APUS, SEC, Radical Roots, etc) and I believe this is a strategic move to get support for the student centre. What is this turning into? A campus which students have little say over the use of space across campus and are forced into a single building that UTSU controls (not students themselves) and we have to pay a levy for? We need to make the whole campus friendly and responsive to student needs.
I’m glad people here seem to have voted no.
November 10th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
I agree that the proposal for the student centre is very vague. However, I imagine that the funds are needed to hire someone to design the centre so that the details can be worked out with student groups.
It seems like a pillar in the YES campaign was the need for 24 hour student space. Clearly, a new student centre isn’t necessary to achieve this. SAC should be advocating to get existing space open 24 hours. For instance, the enclosed patio at Sid Smith would be a great place for 24 hour student space.
November 10th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I totally agree with this article and all the comments. There are so many facilities already existing at u of t that could be put to better use.
November 12th, 2007 at 1:37 am
I absolutely agree with the comments above, there are clearly student facilities that cater to study space, and the newly constructed multi-faith space in Med sci building or other venues can fulfill functions of club or prayer space.
The voting system is clearly flawed, when only full time undergraduates can vote. Post-graduates, or part time students are also likely to use this space should it be established and deserve a say on this matter.
I am quite sure that the levy could increase, particularly with unpredictable/fluctuating costs to maintain and repair the space, it could have been much more than $20.
November 12th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
So, it seems that the student commons referendum has passed.
Here’s a varsity article.
Oh, and it’s nice of the campaigners to tell us of the results eh? The Yes Campaign Website has no mention of the outcome. Looks like they couldn’t be bothered to inform the voters. I’m sure the new student commons project will be a bastion of accountability and responsibility.