The University News

Issue date: 1/21/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Derek Simons The Student Government Association Executive Board (pictured in foreground) continues to meet opposition.

Winter break did little to cool the heated debate about a new Student Union.

Students are still fighting against the Student Union referendum which passed last November by 39 votes. But instead of vocal protests, this time a group of students sent e-mails to the University of Missouri System (UM) Board of Curators. The Curators meet Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, at which points they will consider approving the proposed Student Union referendum.

Chancellor Guy Bailey said he was contacted by the Curators to give background information on the various referendums.

"They [the Curators] got e-mails but they didn't really get information about the votes and what the votes were and they didn't know that there had been multiple votes on this thing," Bailey said. "All they did was ask me for background information with the votes. I don't think they asked for a recommendation at all."

However, Bailey is prepared to make a recommendation if the Curators pass the referendum.

"We have to make a recommendation and I think ultimately it's a good thing for our campus," he said.

In a later e-mail, Bailey clarified his correspondence with one of the Curators.

"I was sent an e-mail from a Curator indicating that she had received a letter complaining about the vote on the new student union," Bailey wrote. "I sent her the vote totals and the totals of the two previous votes.  I also indicated that I thought UMKC needed a new student union."

At the Jan. 16 Student Government Association (SGA) meeting, SGA President Sean McClain updated the Student Senate on the events.

"A few students, i.e. Bridgett Johnson, have sent letters to all of the Curators saying they shouldn't accept this fee for the Student Union and that it [the election] was done wrongly and it makes UMKC unaffordable," McClain said.

Political science major Johnson, a junior, denied any involvement in the letter-writing campaign.

"When it comes to sending letters to Curators, I had no part in them," Johnson said. "I, unfortunately, was quite busy over my break and had no idea about this until after it was done and I was told about it from students who did participate."

Continued...

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