I SSU E
04
The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933
Volume 22
First Issue
F R E E
AUGUST 31, 2009
ARBITERONLINE.COM
AQUA
FINANCIAL
CENTER
AID
BRONCO 5
VOLLEYBALL
7
to to Go e.com oiin B onl os of urb r e t C it arb w pho nnual vie first a p. Cu se’s
Laptop out of batteries? A note-takers trusty pencil should never be far away page 3 PHOTO BY Josh rasmussen/THE ARBITER
Aquatics complex set to make a splash BY STEVEN STUMPTER Journalist
I
Struggling to make tuition? Unfortunately, you’re not the only one page 5
Enter a new era of Bronco Volleyball
n 2010 Campus Recreation will complete construction on a 15,300 square foot aquatics complex. Completion of the complex will help fulfill the plan laid out in the original Student Recreation Center master plan developed in 1999. Although the precise cost of the project has not been determined, the value of the finished development is estimated to be just under $8 million. According to the Associate Director of Campus Recreation Lisa Stuppy, Layton Construction has been chosen to oversee the project. The choice was made following an evaluation by the Department of Public Works, Architectural and Engineering services on campus and an independent architect not implicated in the existing project. Layton Construction, notably was intricately involved in the creation of the innovative Bronco Stadium Stueckle Sky Club, will be responsible for supervising the fellowship of various contractors gathered to assemble the facility. Actual contracting for the complex will be awarded through a competitive bid process currently taking place. “The bid will be awarded this September and the construction timeline is very compressed. The goal is that the building will be turned over to the university early next August,” Stuppy said. The complex will eclipse the current swimming pool found in the Kinesiology Annex on Bronco Circle. The university will still use the Kinesiology Annex swimming pool upon completion of the
new complex. “That pool will continue to hold classes for Kinesiology and practices for our swim team. That pool has always been under the direction and management of the Kinesiology Department and it’s my understanding that they will still hold classes and practices there,” Stuppy said. Construction of the complex is funded entirely with accumulated revenue on the original bond fund for the Student Recreation Center, a $7.5-million facility. However, the current operational budget awarded to Campus Recreation by the university is not sufficient to support the sizeable expansion of current facilities. To make the expansion feasible, Campus Recreation is asking university officials to support a fee increase on membership rates of alumni, faculty and students to cover the discrepancy. The fee increase will cover the cost of hiring lifeguards and instructors related to water fitness and providing instructional classes, safety training and more. Stuppy emphasized she did not expect the proposed increase to have a great effect on tuition or summer membership fees. “We have always had a very affordable summer fee for students not taking classes. This past summer it was $44 for the entire summer (just over 3 months) and I would assume that it will be a similar fee for next summer,” Stuppy said. If university officials support the fee increase, it clears the path for increased programming and employment opportunities, to not only university members, but the community as well. Designs of the new aquatic complex are about 95 percent complete and contain plans for a standard, rectangular, six-lane,
25-yard, lap pool, and 1,780-foot recreation pool with a 120-square-foot spa attached. All pools will be heated to comfortable levels and Campus Recreation is working on devising jets in the pool with the ability to create a current ideal for certain exercise and kayaking. An aquatics addition was in mind when the Recreation Center was originally constructed, so current locker and shower facilities will only need to be expanded to lead to the pool. According to Stuppy, the addition of the aquatics complex will be made to the south end of the existing recreation building and other amenities anticipated with completion would include, “some outdoor terrace space, and a wet classroom that will be used for a variety of classes and workshops/trainings.” Presently, aquatic campus activities are limited to drop-in, deep-water fitness sessions, lap and open swimming and kinesiology activity courses of swimming, water aerobics and kayaking in the Kinesiology Annex pool. Drop-in kayaking courses sponsored by the Outdoor Program are currently offered throughout the year as well. Campus Recreation intends to expand and offer more programs including, but not limited to, swim lessons (for all ages), river and water safety instruction, canoeing, kayaking, SCUBA and water polo. Moreover, intramural sports being deliberated feature water polo, IM swim meets, triathlons, underwater hockey and any suggestions offered by the Bronco community. The biggest question overshadowing the project for Campus Recreation is if they build it, will people come?
Boise State has been busy
The fall season holds many questions for the new squad page 7
PHOTO BY bob beers/THE ARBITER
The Stueckle Sky Club opened in Fall of 2008
PHOTO BY bob beers/THE ARBITER
The Norco Building is expected to open in Fall of 2009
PHOTO BY bob beers/THE ARBITER
The SUB Expansion opened in Winter of 2009
The Arbiter • arbiteronline.com