UCLA officials have eliminated $15 million of $25 million in student fees initially budgeted for the Pauley Pavilion renovation.
The $15 million was tabbed to come from the Student Programs, Activities and Resource Complex fee, passed as a student referendum in 2000, originally intended for non-seismic renovations in the Student Activities Center and expanding the John Wooden Recreation Center.
According to the referendum, SPARC can also be used for “needs of other student-fee supported activity and recreational facilities” at UCLA.
Lower than expected construction bids for the project reduced the $185 million estimate, approved by the UC Board of Regents in 2009, down to a tentative $135 million. Vice Chancellor Steven Olsen said that total can still change.
Most of the savings were due to a decrease in building costs, which accounted for over 70 percent of the original budget estimate. Olsen said the administration was aware of the lower construction cost since they opened bids on Feb. 17.
The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that the University was tapping into student fees to partially fund the renovation. In the article, Olsen indicated UCLA’s plans to discontinue use of the $15 million from SPARC.
Olsen, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero and several UCLA spokespeople met with the Daily Bruin Thursday to address concerns about the use of student fees for the project.
“When the bids came in at a much lower rate, it made sense for us at that time to begin evaluating the financial model,” Guerrero said.
“We had begun those deliberations before the L.A. Times did their story. So the intent was always to look at the existing financial model … and see where, in fact, we could provide relief.”
When asked why the university had not made an official statement regarding the funding change, Olsen responded, “Because we’re still working through the details. We didn’t have all the pieces in place.”
Olsen, who maintains that the allocation of the SPARC fee for the renovation was appropriate, added that the administration will establish an actual working budget within the next couple of weeks. “The SPARC fee was specifically for facilities and the utilities and maintenance of the facilities,” Olsen said. “It can’t be used for Night Powell, it can’t be used to reappoint TAs or lecturers or something like that.”
Funds from the fee are also currently budgeted for use on the South Campus Student Center construction.
The University will still rely on $10 million from the Student Seismic Fee for renovations relating to infrastructure and safety issues with Pauley Pavilion.
The University decided to pull back the money from the SPARC fee rather than funds from the seismic fee because of SPARC’s greater potential for various funding application, Olsen said.
Pauley Pavilion is operated by the department of cultural and recreational affairs, a division separate from athletics, and is open for use by students. Guerrero added that the renovation will add approximately 15,000 square feet for additional student use.
When Pauley Pavilion was completed in 1965, the $5 million project used $1 million in student fees.
“Pauley is a student facility,” said Tim Mullins, facilities commissioner for the Undergraduate Students Association Council. “It is used widely by students for things like IM sports, commencement ““ it’s a student facility. As far as SPARC is concerned … by definition of the fund, it’s a perfectly legitimate use.”
In the Times article, Cindy Mosqueda, a UCLA doctoral candidate who, as a second-year undergraduate student campaigned for passing the fee referendum, said she thinks the fee, “should be used more for its intended purpose.”
However, Mullins, who currently sits on the John Wooden Center Board of Governors, maintained that “it’s not like students are being forced to pay for the whims of the Athletic Department.”
Athletics is not only spearheading the $100 million Campaign of Champions, it is also taking on long-term debt by financing the remainder of the project cost not covered by private donations and student fees.
“We could let Pauley run into the ground and go back to (Olsen) and say, “˜This needs to be fixed, otherwise we need to shut down the facility,'” Guerrero said. “Or (Athletics) assumes responsibility to not only fix that issue and get this facility up to speed so it could last the next generation and the next 50 years.”
With reports by Samantha Schaefer, Bruin senior staff.