By David Dyck
The Simon Fraser Student Society’s (SFSS) student union building project is moving out of their central location in the Maggie Benson Centre to the halls of SFU in what it is calling the “mobile Think Tank”. The Think Tank was set up in mid-February to generate student input on a proposed student union building, supply information, and answer questions.
“Since not everyone can make it out to the Maggie Benson Centre, maybe it’s not accessible to everyone if they’re not in the area all the time,” said Build SFU ambassador Helen Chan. “The mobile Think Tank still provides information to students before the referendum but it allows us to take it around campus and promote that way.”
“The whole idea is that we’re reaching out to as many students as possible and the mobile Think Tank allows us to do that,” said SFSS president Jeff McCann.
A recent cost estimate put the price tag at $63,630,000 for the proposed SUB, which would be placed in the building where the pool currently sits. A referendum question will appear on the ballot in the upcoming general election, asking students if they want a levy instituted to support the project. Concerns have been raised about the cost of the project, and many departmental student unions have been having their meetings inside the Think Tank to discuss the issue of the levy. So far, the Chemistry Student Society, the Business Administration Student Society, and the Biology Student Union have formally endorsed Build SFU. Forum is meeting in two weeks to decide on whether or not to support the levy.
Students will see the mobile Think Tank around the Burnaby campus on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
