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The Other Press is a democratically run, autonomous student newspaper, published several times a semester [usually every two weeks] under the auspices of The Other Publications Society. Our funding comes by way of a direct student levy paid at registration time and through local and national advertising. The Other Press is a member of Canadian University Press and of the national advertising cooperative Campus Plus. ' The Other Press welcomes new and ctive members to come to our semi-regular staff meeting usually held on Thursdays at 12:00 noon. Story and production meetings alternate every Monday at 4:00 P.M. All meetings take place in The Other Press newsroom adjacent to the student lounge off the main concourse in the North Building in room 2305 |right beside the student society offices].

Phone: 525-3542 ) Mailing Address: The Other Press Douglas College 700 Royal Avenue Box 2503 New Westminster, B.C.

V3L 5B5

"THE OTHER PRESS

To the Other Press:

| wish to bring to your attention and that of the student body of Douglas College, the proposal to be put forward on March 8th by Ron Huml at the recon- vened Annual General Meeting of the Students representative council. The motion reads as follows... Whereas the students of Douglas College do not have a space specifically geared towards students needs. And whereas Douglas Col- lege is unable to provide such a space. Be it resolved that the Douglas College student society establish a Student Union Building. And be it further resolved that a building fee of $.75 per credit be charged to all registering students and fur- ther that said fee commence in the fall semester of 1984 and continue until all build- iing liabilities are recovered.

Untortunately this motion is extremely vague and is in effect asking us (the present and future students of Douglas) to give blanket ap- proval to a scheme which may or may not realize the benefits to the student body as a whole but which could cost the students more than they might be prepared or can afford to pay.

Leaving aside the ques- tion of where geographically the proposed centre could be located (on site- which is problematic, or off site - which would limit the use- fullness for the majority of students), the whole ques- tion of how the capital cost is yet to be addressed. Since | don’t believe that anyone has offered to ‘give’ us such a facility there are only two methods left to acquire a student center. 1) By establishing a ‘‘building re- serve fund’’ to accumulate funds until sufficient dollars have been raised to build or buy a building and land or 2) by making a down pay- ment by using all or part of the existing capital fund and financing the with a mortgage.

The first method which

would cost much less in the

long run has one obvious disadvantage, the studénts of ’84, ’85, ‘86, ’87, would be paying 75 cents a credit ($11.25 a semester for stu- dents taking 5 courses) or $22.50 a year which would be enjoyed by students of 1988 and later.

This is why hospitals, fire halls, and other community facilities are normally con- structed on borrowed funds i.e. so that one generation of tax payer doesn’t have to subsidize the next.

remainder -

Wednesday, February 29, 1984.

Building motion premature and should be defeated

The second: method of buy now and pay later (15-25 years for a normal mortgage at prime interest rates) which enable the students of ’84 to enjoy the benefits now but at a much greater cost to the students to come.

Since any land adjacent to the college is either com- mercial or industrial the acquisition cost will be high. How much more will the student society have to levy per credit to ‘‘carry the mortgage?’’

Assuming the initial capi- tal costs can be met then we must address the incidentals of heat, light, phone, main- tenances and insurance cost per year. Municipalities nor- mally budget $1.25 per square foot per year for public recreation buildings. For example, 1000 square feet (about the size of a 2 bedroom suburban bunga- low) would cost us $1250 per year. | have been assured that the ‘‘pub’’ planned for the student centre will easily cover the operating expen- ses. So let’s assume a 50 per cent mark up on all drinks.

‘That means 2,667 drinks will

have to be sold over eight

months or approximately 334 per month.

-Will that mean employing ‘a bar tender?

In view of all these un- answered questions | be- lieve that the proposed mo- tion should be defeated, not because it’s not a _ great idea, but because it’s pre- mature (an alternative mo- tion of voting a maximum of $3,000. See 3.4 of the Doug- las College Students Society constitution.)

Hiring an accountant or perhaps the Business Ad- ministration department to do an in-depth study. of the alternatives, the cost of ben- efits received by future and present students, plus a recommendation to be brought back to the next Annual General Meeting for our consideration would be more appreciated at this time.

Only then can we make an informed and intelligent de- cision on this matter. | urge all students to attend the meeting on March 15 and be prepared to vote intelligent- ly on this important matter.

Verna Barrett

A poem for DTUC

continued from page 1 Some people will read state- ments ‘about the sensations they’re feeling about the closure.

“1 feel stunned and speechless. | feel language hasn’t been very accessible to what I’m feeling.’’

Several DTUC students and staff made similar state- ments. But for the others, the Socred restraint axe has been inspirational.

In addition to the read- ings a troupe of five DTUC drama students presented a 20 minute sketch where a student phones a _ govern- ment bureaucrat to ask why the university is being closed.

The bureaucrat cites res- traint, but the skit’s narrator points out the severe impact the closure will have on students and the community which already suffers from 27 per cent unemployment.

The evening also inspired humor.

Audrey Thomas arrived as the writer. in residence in early January at the centre, around the time the unex-

pected plans to close DTUC

were announced.

Thomas read a new poem at the benefit - with apolo- gies to Robert Frost - called Bill Bennett Stops by Woods on Snowy Evening.

“‘Whose words these are | do not care,

Whoever told them life was fair?

They will not see me stopping here,

They’re all asleep and unaware

My flunkies they must think it queer,

To stop without the media here.

Between the woods and glistening lake,

The coldest evening of the year.

They give their little heads a shake,

And ask me if there’s some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep of easing wind

And downy flake.

The woods are lovely, so’s

' the lake,

But | have promises to

. break,

And miles to go before | wake,

And miles to go before | wake.’’ . The reading’isn’t the only

activity people will see on

the coast. The drama troupe is tour-

ing in Victoria and Vancou- ver and on Feb. 27 a cara- van of about 100 cars filled with DTUC students and staff and Nelson residents will drive to a protest at the Legislature in Victoria.