STUDENT CENTER PLAN QUESTIONED

Funding questions surround a proposal for a new student center at Southeast Missouri State University, Board of Regents President Don Dickerson says.

Student leaders back a 4-year-old plan to renovate and expand 40-year-old Parker Hall to use as a student union.

They say it would provide a more centrally situated student center, adding that the existing University Center too far from residence halls.

The regents, who tabled the idea in April 1998, plan to take a look at the issue within the next several months.

Dickerson said the Parker Commons project hinges on funding, which would come from student fees.

Dickerson said the regents don't want to saddle students with large fee increases.

Student fee increase

Even without the Parker Commons project, the university may raise student fees because of tight state funding and because regents could build a new residence hall to be paid with higher student fees.

Meanwhile, university officials continue to list the River Campus project as their top priority. Southeast wants to spend $36 million to turn a former Catholic seminary into a school for the visual and performing arts.

A campus committee led by Loren Rullman, director of student auxiliary services, has studied the Parker Commons proposal, and the Student Government could vote on the plan this spring.

Student voice

Meanwhile, student leaders try to gauge whether the project has the student body's backing

Student leaders say it's tough to get students to speak out on the project.

Student Government member Ross McFerron said the low turnout points to student apathy and that Student Government hopes to use telephone surveys and personal visits to student groups to gain support for the project.

Another Student Government member, Laura Hockensmith, said, "I just think a real nice UC is what a lot of students look for. We really don't have a central place where students can hang out."