By Riley Hill
Students’ Union executives and faculty representatives will vote at the next student legislative council on whether to hold a referendum on a new student fee that would be used to fund the re-development of MacHall.
The cost of the new fee has not yet been made public, but SU president Raphael Jacob said it would likely be between $60–$90 per year, which according Jacob, is a price students showed they are willing in pay in a recent MacHall re-development survey.
“Based on the consultation with students that we’ve had, I think this is something that is worth bringing to referendum,” Jacob said. “Whether the question goes to vote or not, that will be for SLC to decide.”
The MacHall re-development survey was done last year with 6,350 students participating. The survey showed that a majority of the students surveyed were willing to pay up to $90 to pay for the re-development.
Jacob said that the SU is not advocating either for or against the new student fee, but added that he personally thinks the fee is worth the extra cash.
“It’s ultimately up to students to decide. But it’s certainly not something crazy we’re asking,” Jacob said. “Part of it will be students having to step back objectively and ask, ‘is this a good thing and am I willing to pay for this?’ ”
If passed, the referendum will coincide with the SU elections next March.
Read the full story in next’s week’s edition of the Gauntlet.