2008 Woodie Awards
Bryant discusses new health center with SGA
Krystel Pakitsos
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Campus Life
President Tom Bryant, along with other PSU administrators, attended the Student Government Association meeting Wednesday night to propose the construction of a new student health center on campus.
"What I'm here to talk to you about tonight is to ask you to help me move the student health center forward," Bryant said. "I would join with you if you choose to do this."
Bryant said that the current health center, which is only 5,000 square feet (not all of which is usable), isn't meeting student needs. When enrollment was under 6,000 students, the facility was usable.
With enrollment now over 7,000, the building is not capable of serving the growing population.
"We're trying to meet your needs in a facility that was in not any way, shape or form meant for that," Bryant said. "Are there other services that we could be offering if we had a different kind facility to do that?"
The project would take approximately $3.5 million to complete, and $1 million has already been accumulated by private money and other campus funds. Bryant said he is pushing for construction to begin in November of 2008.
"Trying to meet your needs in terms of mental health and physical health, we need that kind of facility to provide the quality of care that we think is important," Bryant said.
"I think we have excellent people to meet your needs in those areas, but we've got to do something different than what we are doing now."
The new building would be located on Lindberg and south Broadway and would include 13 examination rooms, as opposed to the current five.
An issue that was brought up about the new building is student fee dollars. Bryant explained that depending on how much money is raised for the project, there is a possibility of a $17 student fee increase per semester.
"We don't want that," Bryant said. "We want to raise money to lower that fee."
Jeremy Johnson, president of SGA, says he wants students to share their opinions about the possible fee increase during student opinion time at future SGA meetings. Students can also weigh in by stopping by the SGA office, located downstairs in the Overman Student Center.
"What I'm here to talk to you about tonight is to ask you to help me move the student health center forward," Bryant said. "I would join with you if you choose to do this."
Bryant said that the current health center, which is only 5,000 square feet (not all of which is usable), isn't meeting student needs. When enrollment was under 6,000 students, the facility was usable.
With enrollment now over 7,000, the building is not capable of serving the growing population.
"We're trying to meet your needs in a facility that was in not any way, shape or form meant for that," Bryant said. "Are there other services that we could be offering if we had a different kind facility to do that?"
The project would take approximately $3.5 million to complete, and $1 million has already been accumulated by private money and other campus funds. Bryant said he is pushing for construction to begin in November of 2008.
"Trying to meet your needs in terms of mental health and physical health, we need that kind of facility to provide the quality of care that we think is important," Bryant said.
"I think we have excellent people to meet your needs in those areas, but we've got to do something different than what we are doing now."
The new building would be located on Lindberg and south Broadway and would include 13 examination rooms, as opposed to the current five.
An issue that was brought up about the new building is student fee dollars. Bryant explained that depending on how much money is raised for the project, there is a possibility of a $17 student fee increase per semester.
"We don't want that," Bryant said. "We want to raise money to lower that fee."
Jeremy Johnson, president of SGA, says he wants students to share their opinions about the possible fee increase during student opinion time at future SGA meetings. Students can also weigh in by stopping by the SGA office, located downstairs in the Overman Student Center.
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Cecilia Crosa
Cecilia Crosa
posted 3/11/08 @ 3:48 PM CST
I am a student Senator of the Student Government Association.
This message is to clarify a statement of the article. Instead of "student body would extend its deepest sympathy to the students, faculty and administrators of Virginia Tech", should say "student body would extend its deepest sympathy to the students, faculty and administrators of Norhern Illinois University". (Continued…)
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