Over the next two weeks, ASCSU will be conducting a student survey in regards to Dr. Frank’s four stadium “options.” While this survey is a step in the right direction, it still has several fundamental flaws.
This student survey, which was voted on by ASCSU on Oct. 22, is aimed at showing students’ opinions concerning each Dr. Frank’s four “options.” On top of finding student opinions, the survey will also provide some brief information to “educate” the students on the four options. According to its creators, the survey will be emailed to students, along with information about each of the options, which have been literally cut and pasted from the colostate.edu/stadium website.
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Due to its design, there are several major oversights which undermine the effectiveness of this survey. First and foremost, this website which is being used to “educate” students is entirely speculative, and hasn’t even had a feasibility study conducted, so the costs and benefits outlined have no factual basis. Its also important to remember that creator of these options (Dr. Frank), has been trying to push a main campus stadium for the last two years. Bottom line, this survey is asking students to make decisions based on unverified facts, which are coming from a biased source.
While this survey may have its shortcomings, we as a school have a much larger problem. Historically, Tony Frank and his administration have been indifferent to public opinion about the stadium. In 2012 a much larger and more comprehensive survey concerning the stadium was done. In this survey, 67 percent of students surveyed said they were against an on-campus stadium, even if it was funded outside of the general fund. Along with this student survey, there have been multiple polls and surveys conducted where a majority of Fort Collins residents have expressed their opposition to an on-campus stadium. Yet in spite of this, Dr. Frank and his administration have continually pushed a main campus stadium, even after they failed to raise the necessary funds. Clearly, the opinions of students and Fort Collins citizens are not a factor in Dr. Frank’s decision-making process.
So what does all this mean? Should we not participate in this survey? Absolutely not, it’s important that we continue to voice our opinions, whatever they might be. But it shouldn’t stop there. We as students need to get involved in this process, especially now that all four options involve the student general fund. As a student body, we need to convey to this administration that it is our money they are spending, and we have a right to have a say in how it is spent. If you want to have your voice heard, email Dr. Frank at tony.frank@colostate.edu and the board of governors at csus_board@mail.colostate.edu.
Collegian Columnist William Clem can be reached at letters@collegian.com.
