Representatives from numerous student organizations across campus voiced their opinions Monday at a press conference regarding the University Health Services and student activity center building and its location.
Students at the conference said the ideal location for the new building would be near the intersection of University Avenue and Lake Street. Construction on the building may start by 2003 according to Bruce Braun, assistant vice chancellor for UW-Madison facilities planning and management.
\The [current UHS] building at 1552 University Ave. was constructed in 1950 ... and now it is falling apart,"" said Megan Fitzgerald, a UW-Madison junior and state board chair for the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group.
According to UW-Madison freshman Trent Krupp, chair of the Associated Students of Madison subcommittee on the UHS and student activity center building, said UW-Madison administration is ""working hard in attaining rights to either buy or lease the University Square area.""
He said he was wary students and administrators would not have ""design control"" over the construction of the building if the space were to be leased from private owners.
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley announced Feb. 21 the project would remain top priority, with renovation plans for Sterling and Bascom halls being delayed.
Guatham Rao, a UW-Madison senior, former president of the India Students Association and current Asian and Pacific American Council board member, said the building was needed to encourage dialogue among student organizations. This kind of exchange is needed ""especially [for] the international and student of color community, as they need a centralized location to meet and interact with one another.""
""I guarantee that there would be nothing but positive changes to the campus climate once this center is built,"" he said.
The Multicultural Student Coalition, WisPIRG, ISA, APAC, the Wisconsin Union Directorate and ASM were represented.
Currently, student organizations are housed in locations in different parts of campus, including the Red Gym, Union South, Memorial Union, 710 University Ave. and the Engineering Building.
Rodney Stokes, a UW-Madison junior and MCSC member, said the new building would encourage a ""more holistic sense of student life and student power.""
""Begun before we got here, finished long after we've left, today we are here to do our part to ensure that the ... building is centrally located on campus,"" he said.
