Ten students gathered at the Earth Sciences Center last Wednesday to discuss U of T’s use of space. The event was organized by two student representatives who sit on the University’s Governing Council, Oriel Varga (an OISE student) and Andrew Pinto (Medical Sciences). Discussion was largely divided between criticizing the University’s decision-making process and proposing different uses for space on campus.

Most participants were very displeased with how university administration went about planning major building projects on campus, including the recent failed attempt to build a new Varsity Stadium.

“We need to change the paradigm,” said Varga, “from the current one, where the administration develops plans and makes students pay for them, to one where students make proposals and the administration finds the money.”

Others said that University decisions have to involve more than administration and students, pointing out that projects like the now-defunct Varsity site redevelopment would have had a major impact on the surrounding community.

Putting the failed Varsity project into a wider context was Professor Helen Lenskyj from OISE: “My research, across North America, indicates that there is generally significant student resistance to sports projects tied to professional sports; facilities that allowed for more universal student use tend to well supported.”

Lenskyj’s article, “Funding Canadian University Sport Facilities,” was recently published in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. It recounts several examples in which students at American universities were willing to pay high incidental fees (such as an extra $50 per student) for facilities that they themselves proposed and ones that would be used by a wide variety of students.

Alternative proposals for space usage ranged all over the map.

“Part time students have long wanted a residence for part-time students,” said Chris Ramsaroop of the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students. “Housing needs to be a priority of the University.”

Carolyn Xia, a community gardening activist, said, “More land should be made available to grow food to feed hungry students. A small greenhouse to continue to grow food during the winter would be good too.”

Ramsaroop and Varga both discussed the history of the University’s building projects.

“In the late 1990s, there was a proposal that Coca-Cola would sponsor a stadium, but it would have to be named ‘the Coke Stadium,'” said Ramsaroop. “At the same time, the company was trying to secure an exclusivity agreement.”

Varga added: “Increasing corporate influence on campus is an important concern for many students.”

“At past town halls we’ve had many more people come,” said Pinto of the lacklustre turnout at the meeting. “I suspect that many student leaders and activists are preoccupied with the Rae Review [of post secondary education] at the moment.”