N.C. State attracts students of high caliber. As the largest institution in the UNC-System, it should be able to deliver a level of service at least comparable to its peer universities.
The University ranks second-to-last in space per student in student centers in the UNC-System. When compared to its peer institutions on a national scale, it ranks at the very bottom. NCSU is an institution of innovation and advancement; it’s time we translate this into the way students are served and the facilities that they use.
The new Talley Student Center will enhance student life in ways beyond expanded lounge, dining and student organization space. Expanded retail options will translate into more on-campus jobs for students.
University Dining’s ability to provide high-quality and reasonably priced dining options to students on both main and Centennial Campuses is contingent on the passing of this fee. Since the Atrium Food Court’s last renovation in 1985, revenue receipts have increased nearly eight-fold. Increased and improved dining options at Talley will help solve congestion during peak dining hours.
The financial case for moving forward with this project is strong. Low interest rates and construction costs mean this project will be completed at the lowest possible expense to students. The major utility systems in Talley are terribly inefficient and at the end of their useful life. The fees students pay are currently being wasted due to excessive building maintenance and repair costs for Talley. It makes sense to invest in a LEED-certified facility that will operate more efficiently at a reasonable cost. Each year the University delays this project its cost will increase by nearly $10 million. Is it fair to pass this burden to the students who will be at the University next year and the following? Students will have to pay more for the same project.
I am willing to pay a fraction of a dollar per day so the University can build the facilities and provide the level of service that it desires to provide. In the first year of the fee schedule, students will be able to use an updated Atrium Food Court for $0.23 per day. The fee increases over the course of four years, but even once it reaches its maximum level, students will be paying only $0.80 per day. The fee schedule is structured in an equitable way; the fee a student pays directly correlates to the facilities and services he or she will enjoy.
Previous students were asked to make the same sacrifices today’s students are being asked to make. Witherspoon Student Center and the Carmichael Recreation Center were funded by students who might not have used the facilities. Students should consider what this project will mean to future students and the University. Take pride in being a part of something that will benefit our generation and future generations of the Wolfpack nation.
