The Rhatigan Student Center will be getting a partial new roof.
Student Government Association adviser Gabriel Fonseca said the current roof on the older section of the building was expected to hold up for about 25 years. It’s been more than 30.
The Student Government Association voted Wednesday to pass a funding bill for the project. The bill will go to Student Body President Kylee Hower to be signed before it officially passes.
Hower brought the bill before the Student Senate, explaining the need for a new roof.
“It’s leaking, and it needs some repairs,” she said.
Funding
SGA will spend $500,000 on the renovation, with the money coming from its special projects and capital fund, a pool set up for projects like the RSC. This funding will not cover the total cost.
Fonseca said the cost is estimated at around $900,000, meaning about $400,000 will not be covered by SGA.
The RSC’s director Kevin Konda said that after getting a “final estimate,” the RSC’s Board of Directors will decide whether to approve the remainder from its own budget.
Several senators spoke in favor of approving SGA’s portion of the funds.
Graduate Sen. Andrew Bobbitt said that he’s not usually for spending large amounts of SGA’s budget.
“I’m usually firmly in the camp that advocates against spending money, but … it’s something that needs to be done,” he said.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Sen. Morgan Stinnett also argued for approving the funding.
“We need a roof,” she said. “The money’s gonna have to be spent anyway. Just vote yes.”
What’s next?
Konda said after the board receives a final quote for the project and approves funding, they’ll sign a contract for construction to begin.
“At this time, depending on the contractor’s schedule, I would estimate the roof project to happen sometime in the spring,” Konda said in an email.
