Build SFU: Your questions answered

The Simon Fraser Student Society’s (SFSS) Build SFU initiative has been a long time in the making. This is the largest student-led project in SFU history. The project, which involves the construction of a Student Union Building and Stadium on Burnaby Campus, has been halted for months, since the society did not garner enough undergraduate student votes to pursue the loan it will require before beginning construction.

The project has been embroiled in controversy, as several students have come forward in opposition, not just to the general concept of the project, but to how the process has unfolded over the years. They have even organized into an opposition campaign, No to Build SFU.

At the September 22 SFSS Annual General Meeting, the student society will once again put the question to its members. Though construction was unable to begin on schedule this summer, the SFSS has been at work making amendments to the motions and doing considerable outreach to educate students about Build SFU.

Perhaps the most noteworthy change in how the questions will be put to students this time around — the SUB and Stadium projects have been split into two different motions. This move was in response to student feedback that expressed a desire for the projects to be considered and voted upon separately.

What is the SUB?

The SUB is meant to be a hub of student activity, providing a space for students to call their own and building a greater sense of community for the student body.

The building is planned to be located between the Academic Quadrangle and Maggie Benston Centre, right in the heart of Burnaby Campus. A total of 10,015 square metres, the building will be home to new dining options, study space, lounge space, and more.

Why do we need a SUB?

An SFSS survey shows that 49 per cent of students spend more than six hours per day on Burnaby Campus outside of class. Most of that time is spent on the east side of campus.

“This didn’t come out of thin air,” said Larissa Chen, SFSS Health Sciences Representative.

The SFU Undergraduate Student Survey results from 2008 to 2014 reveal that students are primarily concerned with a need for improved student life and improved facilities. The SUB is the society’s answer to meeting both those needs at once. “There is always a constant battle for space,” expressed SFSS President Enoch Weng.

Business Representative Hangue Kim added that current students feel there is “no reason to stay on campus.”

What’s in the SUB?

Plans for space programming in the SUB include plenty of space for a range of student activities, including a nap room, a community kitchen, a dance room, rehearsal rooms, a rooftop garden, and a multipurpose room that could double as a rental venue for events.

According to the board, the finer details of what will actually be in the SUB are flexible and will be determined with further student consultation.

There is a considerable focus on ‘wellness’ in the SUB design, with ample natural lighting. The modern building design features open spaces, minimizes energy use, and pays particular attention to accessibility needs.

What is the Stadium?

The second prong to the Build SFU initiative, the Stadium, is to be built at Terry Fox Field. Seating 2500, the development intends to revamp our athletics facilities and provide a better viewing experience for SFU students and visitors to athletic events.

The hope is that this new Stadium will be a draw for other events. Build SFU explained that “Any revenues from ticket sales or sponsorship would be put back into maintaining the facility or reducing the construction cost for students.”

What will it cost?

The overall cost of these two projects is $65 million. The SUB is budgeted for $55 million, and the Stadium makes up the remaining $10 million.

In order to foot the bill, the SFSS needs to secure loans (or debentures) of approximately $41 million for the SUB and $10 million for the stadium. The loans are contingent on students’ approval and their vote to ensure the continuance of the Build SFU levy until the loans are repaid in full.

Other sources of funding include the sale of part of the SFSS’s space in MBC, as well as a portion of the society’s Space Expansion Fund. The board has also expressed its intent to seek external funding.

Build SFU has spent $4.7 million to date, less than originally expected. “Every phase of the project has come under budget,” said Chen.

The Levy System

Payments on the loan would be made over 25 to 30 years, funded by the student levy which is automatically tacked on to undergraduate student fees.

The levy works on a two-tiered system, charging part-time students half of the full-time fee. Currently, the fee is $20 for full-time students and $10 for students enrolled in three units or fewer. This will increase on a yearly basis, by $10 and $5 respectively until 2022, at which time it will be adjusted only to account for inflation.

The society has put a Build SFU bursary in place to relieve the financial burden of the levy on students, which they have doubled since the SGM in the spring.

The SFSS is not opposed to changing the levy based on how many credits a student is taking and which campus is their home base. Starting now, a student taking two full-time semesters per year over a four year degree would pay a total of $320 towards the project. A student would pay $450 over a five-year degree at the same rate.

The levy cannot be changed without going to referendum. The society assures that it will not default on the loan, since SFU regulates enrolment to hit certain targets.

Does SFU have a stake in the SUB?

SFU is leasing the structure to the SFSS for a total of 70 years. The lifespan of the original structure is 50 years, so around the 50-year mark, the building will need to undergo renovations.

The university has committed to a $12.5 million contribution to the building for operating costs. The board has also expressed its intent to seek external funding. “Students are the primary stakeholders,” asserted Weng.

Why now?

The last two attempts by the SFSS to be approved to pursue the loan were unsuccessful for different reasons. Last year’s AGM garnered a 93 per cent approval rate for the combined project, but due to limited space in the SFU Theatre, several voting members were left waiting outside, unable to exercise their democratic right.

In light of that outcome, the SFSS hosted a Special General Meeting (SGM) in the Spring 2015 semester to put the question to students once again. The meeting was held in the West Gym, the largest indoor venue on campus, to accommodate more of the society’s 26,000 plus members. Out of the 630 students in attendance, only 65 percent voted in favour of the debenture, falling short of the 75 per cent needed to go ahead with it.

What will happen at the AGM?

The SFSS encourages students to “arrive informed” to this year’s AGM, taking place on Sept. 22 in the West Gym. Doors will open at 2 p.m. and the meeting is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. The SFSS explained that a vote by special resolution at an AGM is more preferable than an online vote, as it allows for students to voice their opinions and ask questions.

Students will vote on three different points:

• The approval of a debenture for the SUB
• The approval of a debenture for the Stadium
• A bylaw addition that will assure the continuation of the Build SFU levy

If students vote in favour of the special resolutions that would allow the SFSS to pursue the debenture, construction will begin in Spring 2016 and last until Spring 2018.

If the special resolutions fail to pass, the SFSS plans to begin the process of revoking the levy and repaying $1.1 million to SFU that was a prepayment made for the sale of MBC.

The Opposition

No to Build SFU is a movement created by students that professes to be “dedicated to exposing Build SFU’s downsides.” Some of the chief concerns among students are the exclusion of students who are based at satellite campuses, the inaccessibility of the voting process, and a lack of accountability when it comes to responding to negative reactions to the project.

Colin Woodbury and Melissa Lee of No to Build SFU commented on the changes put into effect since the SGM, saying that the division of the SUB and Stadium projects was one of their original ideals.

“What I said at the SGM to the crowd was that [. . .] we can never get to the point of reform unless we said ‘No’ that day,” expressed Woodbury. Lee added that although some alterations have been made, “it’s reform, but not complete reform.”

Satellite Representation

One major issue, voiced time and time again, is that students who primarily attend class on satellite campuses will not have an equal use of the building, but will have to pay an equal share.

The SFSS is looking into restructuring the levy to reflect this disparity. One of the problems with this, recognized by both sides, is that there is no current system in place to determine who is a satellite student and who is not.

The board is also in the midst of looking into space expansion on satellite campuses.

Another concern is that those same students are less likely to be able to participate in the decision-making around the project, as all the voting up to now has taken place in-person on Burnaby Campus.

Voter Accessibility

Lee remarked that the SFSS was capable and is capable of conducting an online vote as opposed to an AGM or SGM vote. However they have chosen not to do so, to allow for dialogue and mitigate costs. The society estimates that the cost of holding an online referendum vote over several days would be approximately $10,000.

“You can’t have dialogue with 600 students,” said Lee.

Of the decision to hold the vote at an AGM, Lee remarked, “In my mind, it’s working towards their own goals; they know who’s going to show up that day. It’s the Burnaby students and the athletes who are all living here.”

Leading up to the SGM, No to Build SFU brought forward a petition to add two referendum questions to the agenda, to remove the Build SFU levy and to add a bylaw requiring a minimum of 10 per cent voter turnout and a 75 per cent majority vote for projects valued over $5,000,000. Having only 628 of the 1,000 signatures needed to force the questions, the board rejected both proposals.

SGM Reaction

Lee expressed dissatisfaction with Build SFU’s response to the failed SGM vote. Said Lee “Their idea was, ‘let’s just keep on going.’ I’m not sure if that was the best business plan.” She also noted that even if the special resolutions are not passed, it would not remove the existing levy. She suggested that maybe if they had waited long enough, they would be able to go ahead with the loan without the membership passing it by vote.

Lee went on to call for more reform prior to the vote: “If we can alter the levy structure, why not do it now rather than say, pass the loan and then we’ll do it?”

Power to the Students

Despite heavy campaigning on both sides, at the end of the day, everyone seems to agree that the most important thing is that the knowledge and power is in the hands of students to make the decision that is best for them.

Said Chen, “Just because we take the ‘Yes’ stance doesn’t mean we’re trying to force students to vote ‘Yes.’ We’re here for the students, not for our own agenda, so we want to make sure that students are well aware of all the facts.”

Timeline

1988/89: More space please

SFU students express a need for student space on campus via survey. Maggie Benston Centre (MBC), constructed in 1973, was originally meant to meet this need. It was deemed that student feedback reflected that MBC was insufficient in this respect.

2006: Exploration of SUB option

The SFSS board of directors initially look into the possibility of constructing a SUB.

2011: Working group identifies goals

A working group is formed to reassess the feasibility of the project. Three objectives came out of that process: develop a SUB, develop a new stadium, and develop a sense of community for SFU students.

2012: SFSS meets with SFU

The board begins to meet with SFU administration to work out the cost of the project as well as explore converting the Lorne Davies Complex into a SUB and stadium.

Spring 2012: Student consultation & project approval

The SFSS conducts consultations in the “Think Tank,” located adjacent to the society’s office in MBC. The combined Build SFU SUB and Stadium projects are passed by referendum in March, 2012.

Spring 2013: Architect selection and student consultation

The Think Tank reopens as the official headquarters for Build SFU. They meet with various potential architects, and solicit student feedback. In April, Perkins+Will is selected as the official architectural firm for the Build SFU projects.

June/July 2013:  Investigation of SUB sites

Possible sites for the SUB are looked into and Student Advisory Committee (SAC) holds its first meeting to provide feedback.

September 2013: Build SFU begins outreach

Consultation begins at all 3 SFU campuses to inform students and receive feedback on SUB location.

October 2013: Students respond to survey about SUB location

Over 4000 students answer a survey regarding where the SUB is to be located and what would be inside the new building.

December 2013: SUB Location is approved

It is decided that the “crossroads” area between the AQ and MBC will be the new SUB location.

dec. architects submitted report on space program

March 2014: SUB designs unveiled

Three early designs for the SUB are released to the public.

Spring/Summer 2014: Student consultation

Three student consulting workshops help inform goals around sustainability and accessibility. In addition students contribute ideas for art and interior design for SUB.

October 2014: AGM vote delayed

Attendance at SFSS AGM is over venue capacity meaning many students are unable to vote. Vote is postponed for a special general meeting later.

January 2015: SGM Vote Fails

At SGM students fall short of 75 per cent needed to obtain a loan for the project by voting 65 per cent in support.

March 2015: SUB design is completed

Feb-April 2015: Survey looks at students concerns

1,879 students respond to a survey, which identifies cost and sustainability as the primary concerns for students.

Summer 2015: Project Division

The SUB and Stadium projects are split into two separate entities.

September 2015: Students to vote on questions again at AGM