As colleges and universities scramble to keep up with trends and attract students, what once was considered excess is now considered necessary.

A student recreation center has been on the back burner since Student Senate brought up the idea and conducted a survey in 2000.

The preparation for a student recreation center is in conjunction with the kick-off of Southern’s first Capital Campaign.

“The process has been going on for quite sometime,” said University President Julio León.

“Usually with a capital campaign you have a silent phase, when you get a percentage raised, then you have a public phase.”

The goal of the Campaign is to raise $7.6 million to “enhance the international mission, further faculty development, increase scholarships, and bring state-of-the-art technology equipment to the TV/radio studios as well as enhance the athletic facilities,” León said.

“Close to $3 million dollars has already been pledged,” he said.

“I have lived here for 47 years,” said Larry Hickey, honorary chairman for the capital campaign steering committee. “I have watched Missouri Southern grow and train the young people and not so young people for them to have a better chance to succeed.”

This is a fantastic project for the students, university and community, he said.

The Request for Proposal Committee for the student recreation center met with architects in a preliminary meeting Oct. 2.

“We had seven firms attend,” said Dr. Terri Agee, vice president for business affairs. “We were pleased with the turn out. People flew in for the opportunity.”

The goal of the committee is to build a student center that will promote the recruitment and retention of students.

“We want a whole lot of student input,” Agee said.

“It will be designed for the students, with them in mind. We want to get as close as we can to meeting their needs.”

Students are encouraged to contact Senate with any ideas or suggestions they may have for the center.

Although Senate implemented a Recreational Interest Survey, the architectural firm chosen to design the structure will conduct a feasibility study.

The firm will poll the students in order to determine what amenities best fit the student’s needs and wants.

“We can talk about a rock wall, a lazy river, swimming pools and a lounge, but if those components are not what the students want, then it will be built to other specifications,” Agee said.

All that has been decided is the feasibility study. All other plans are tentative at this point.

“This will be a student based center,” said Doug Carnahan, dean of students.

“Faculty and staff will have to pay a fee to use the facility.”

A student recreation, health and wellness fee will partially fund the center in conjunction with donations from the Capital Campaign.

The student fee is estimated to be $25-$50 a semester, but until the feasibility study is conducted and calculated, any estimation of fees is pure speculation.

Editor’s note:The Chart will be taking a Closer Look at this issue in the Oct. 17 edition.