The Alligator never seems to disappoint. Wednesday’s article “Senate approves Reitz Union student expansion fee” left out some important facts in the case for the Reitz Union renovation and expansion. For instance, a petition was signed by about 1,500 students in less than 24 hours in support of the renovation and the student fee to pay for it. That would seem to outweigh the 70 or so graduate students who attended Tuesday night’s Senate meeting.
The Reitz Union is in dire need of renovation and expansion. It was built in 1967 for 19,000 students, and UF now has more than 50,000. Many of the systems, including the electrical and air conditioning systems, are original to the building’s construction. If those systems fail there is not nearly enough money in reserve to fix even one of them.
Not to mention the asbestos in the walls and ceilings and the energy inefficiencies of the 1960s-era equipment. If we delay further, the cost of the project will increase, leading to a further increase in the student fee.
This would place even more of a burden on students, undergraduate and graduate alike. The question has never been should we renovate and expand the Reitz Union, it’s just when. That time is now.
