Student government officials voted Wednesday to include a vote to expand Memorial Union on the student government fall ballot.
Although the votes would not decide the fate of the union renovations, the Associated Students of Madison said the student input could influence Chancellor David Ward's decision.
The proposed expansion would include adding a lounge behind the union, expanding onto the Terrace. The project is expected to cost over $52 million.
Some students said the renovation was already included on a ballot in 2006 and adding it to the fall ballot would undermine the students who voted then.
Sarah Mathews, Vice President of the Wisconsin Student Union, said if the project is included on the ballot, some students might vote without being informed about the renovations.
""I feel like the referendum is well-intentioned, but I feel like its outcome is inadvisable because all it means is that students will vote on a project that they are not informed on,"" Mathews said.
Mathews said no segregated fees have gone into the expansion design cost.
Some students said a vote was unnecessary because students are able to voice their opinions about the expansions through open forums held by the Wisconsin Student Union.
Representative Andrew Bulovsky said students should have more of a say in such a large project.
""This is a pretty huge project that students should have an opportunity to voice their opinions on,"" Bulovsky said.
Representative Cale Plamann said if the renovation did not go through, some of the money expected to go towards the project could help offset segregated fees.
""At the end of the day, we're going to be paying more money to decrease the amount of space I have to get hammered on the Terrace,"" Plamann said.
