ASUI senators urged their ASUI President Cruz Botello to move forward with plans to convert an open space in the Idaho Commons into a student lounge Wednesday.
That urge was directed at Botello via a resolution, written by Sen. Tanner Beymer and co-sponsored by every member of the senate, “calling upon Botello to immediately proceed with the previously approved plans to convert the space formerly occupied by the College of Education Administration to a student lounge, which shall be made accessible to the entirety of the student body.”
It is up to Botello to follow through with the plans, or continue the discussion.
“This is a project that is long overdue,” Beymer said. “It’s something that absolutely needs to be instituted as quickly as possible.”
The resolution comes amid pressure put on Botello by University of Idaho administrators to continue discussion and possibly convert the space into an area for international students, and by ASUI to convert the space into a student lounge.
Dean of Students Blaine Eckles said the university is trying to increase diversity on campus. The administration proposed a lounge space for international students that would also include support offices for those students.
ASUI Pro-Tempore Mattie Cupps said ASUI met with administration two weeks ago to discuss the open space. ASUI then received a proposal Nov. 1 by the administration to give ASUI a different space to work with — Room 111 in the Memorial Gym.
But that proposal to turn the space into an area for international students was not supported by the senators, as they exemplified during Wednesday’s meeting.
Cupps said she and members of ASUI visited the alternative space that day.
“It is not ideal at all. At all. To say the least, it kind of looks a little bit like a dungeon,” Cupps said.
Sen. Sam Balas also added his voice to the mix. Balas also works as a columnist for The Argonaut.
“I find it fascinating that the university has taken an interest in increasing enrollment, and yet, instead of servicing the students that go here and ensuring that they’re excited to go here, and servicing their needs and their wants, they have decided to attempt to pay lip service to what looks good,” Balas said.
Balas said if the university wants to increase enrollment it needs to take the needs of the domestic student populous seriously.
“If we are going to try and unite the people of this school, the last thing we need are walls,” Balas said. “Mr. President, tear down these walls.”
According to the legislation, in an email to previous ASUI President Nate Fisher back in December 2014, the previous Interim UI Provost and Executive Vice President Katherine Aiken confirmed the space once occupied by the College of Education administration “will be committed back to students upon conclusion to the College of Ed renovations.”
The space has since been renovated and vacated, and is currently not used by UI.
Sen. Catherine Yenne said there are no stronger advocates for international students than ASUI, but questioned the size of the space the administration proposed to ASUI as an alternative to the Commons.
“The administration has proposed a space in the gym that is two-thirds the size of the space in the Commons, yet this space is supposed to service 100 percent of the student body?” Yenne said.
She said using the Commons as an international student space will only serve a small portion of the student body.
Yenne said the goal of ASUI’s student lounge proposal is to integrate all students in a central location.
Botello said he plans to meet with Eckles Thursday to coordinate with UI Provost and Executive Vice President John Wiencek to discuss the student space and what Botello’s decision will ultimately be.
“Due to the fact that this bill passed unanimously and this project has been in the works since before my time even in ASUI as a senator or as president, I’m leaning towards turning it into a student space, yes,” Botello said.
He said a decision on the space will possibly be made by the end of next week.
Taylor Nadauld can be reached at [email protected]