A place for everyone

By: Justin Monaco-Barnes

January is an exciting time of year for student politics at McMaster. MUSC tables begin to overflow with excited students in bright colours, so full of passion for student life that they can barely contain it. Over the course of my time at McMaster, I’ve heard some great ideas come out of presidential candidates. I find that the mark of a great platform is one that blends tangible ideas with a unified vision for the union. In 2014, Teddy Saull was elected with his vision, “Community Matters.” The following year, Ehima Osazuwa was successful with his equity-focused platform, “Forward Together.” Then in 2016, students elected a nerd in big, round glasses, focused on health, sustainability and wanting to “Be the Change.”

Community, equity, health, sustainability — each important themes that the MSU has worn over the past three years, each pillars that students here at McMaster have voted for. However, each year, some of the tangible pieces of these platforms have gone uncompleted. Community kitchens, more lounge space, multi-faith prayer space, larger athletics space and sustainable infrastructure are all great ideas that haven’t yet come to fruition. And it all comes down to one thing: space.

Enter this upcoming referendum. There are essentially two pieces to it: Athletics/Recreation space, and a student space expansion that we’re calling the Student Activity Building.

Let’s talk first about the Athletics/Recreation space. This plan is calling for an expansion to the Pulse that would increase the space by 60,000 square feet, more than doubling the space of the current facility, and some immediate upgrades to existing space and programs. These include a female-identified only fitness space, funding for club teams, a 50 per cent discount on intramurals, yoga, pilates and extended hours. The biggest change that students would see immediately is the inclusion of a 12-month Pulse membership within their student fees at great value.

To put this in perspective, a 12-month Pulse membership is currently $192, and an 8-month membership is $144. For students who purchase these memberships currently, approval of this project means immediate savings of $97 for compared to a 12-month membership and $47 for the 8-month. This means giving you the extra cash in your wallet to buy a lot more delicious slices of banana bread from Union Market.

Onto the Student Activity Building. This new building would be an expansion to the Ivor Wynne Centre, and would be a 40,000 square foot space designed by students, for students. Multi-faith prayer space is a priority for this building, and beyond that, the possibilities are endless. Food collective centre, permanent local, fresh food grocer, movie theatre, event space or a new cafe; it’s up to you, but all of these are possible with the Student Activity Building.

While not every student may use a prayer space or access a food collective centre, the space will be designed with the principle that everyone can use it for something.

To fund this project there would be an immediate $95 increase for next year, giving a 12-month membership to the Pulse among other benefits to students in starting in September. The cost for the expansion to students would only kick in when the building would be completed in 2019/2020. If students vote in favour of the Pulse and the Student Activity Building, current ancillary fees will rise by $3.95 per unit capped at 30 units, which works out to $118.50 for students taking 30 units.

Again, if you’re a full-time student, this means you’re paying an additional $95 starting next year to cover the Pulse membership and additional Athletics and Recreation benefits.

In September 2019, when the new Pulse and new Student Activity Building would open, fees would rise by an additional $128.50 consisting of the $3.95 per unit increase to the building fee and an additional $10 to the activity fee.

Let’s be clear, the fees here are not low, and students at McMaster are already paying high costs to attend this institution. I understand that. However, for many students who already purchase a Pulse membership or another gym membership, well over half of the student population, accepting these changes will cut their costs rather than add to them.

Even for students who don’t use the Pulse, this project truly is meant to have something that all students can find value in. By having cheaper food options, or more accessible multi-faith space, or discounted intramurals and yoga, this is a plan not just designed for one type of student, but for all.

This January, you have the opportunity to vote for next year’s MSU president, but you also have the chance to say yes to the dreams and ideas of all the students that came before you. Let’s say yes to “Community Matters,” and to “Forward Together,” and to “Be the Change” and to whichever lucky slogan may be crowned the winner this year: let’s build the space to make this campus a place where student life and leadership can really happen.