UF Student Government might invest more than $400,000 to make the Reitz Union more accessible.
The SG Student Senate unanimously passed a bill Tuesday night that would allocate $405,023 from the UF SG reserve to fund three projects within the Reitz Union.
More than 50 percent of the funding, $296,310, will be used to renovate the Student Legal Services offices. Additional funding will be used to update the auditorium’s audiovisual system with a new projector for $98,312. The funds will also be used to install an accessible lift in a Reitz Union restroom for $10,400, according to the bill.
There is about $2.5 million sitting in the SG reserve account prior to the transfer. Any money not used for the project will be returned to the account, SG Budget and Appropriations Chairwoman Emily Dunson (Impact, District A) said at the meeting. The money in the account comes from SG funds that were not spent in previous years and is used to fund expenses that only occur once.
“These renovations really are necessary in creating an inclusive, accessible and an up-to-date environment,” Dunson said.
The bill will be brought before the Senate for a second time next week for a final vote, Senate President Michael Murphy (Impact, District A) said. The start date for the projects is yet to be determined.
“I think that all of these are absolutely critical,” Murphy said.
Contact Gillian Sweeney at gsweeney@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @gilliangsweeney
