Student complex fee could be coming

The Dallas Alumni Chapter sponsored its annual scholarship and fundraising gala Oct. 5.
This year the main fundraiser was for the new athletic complex. The theme for the gala was "Greater Vision, Greater Expectation, Greater Giving."
Although the alumni are fundraising for the new athletic complex the student body needs to help as well.
Student Government Association President 2012-2013 Harrison Blair said, "In order to see this complex sooner than later we, as in students, must help. There should never be a time you should say no to giving back to Prairie View. As students and hopefully alumni you should want to see Prairie View become the very best it can be."
SGA is working on a student fee referendum for a new athletic complex fee.
Associate vice president of student affairs Miron Billingsley said, "The faculty have taxed themselves with the faculty and staff giving campaign which was started last year. Most of the faculty and staff who participate in this giving campaign are not alumni of Prairie View so why wouldn't the students want to give back to their Alma Mater. A new football stadium has been talked about since 1979 and nobody has really made a move. SGA has the power to change and enhance Prairie View as a whole."
Blair said, "If you were to google Blackshear football stadium it will come up as the third worst football stadium in the United States. I believe as the student body president it is my duty to not only look out for the good of the current students of Prairie View, but also the future students. My father and grandfather went to Prairie View and they have both said that a new football stadium is needed."
If this fee is passed through a student referendum, it will be a $15 per credit hour fee. For example if you were taking 12 hours there would be a $180 new fee on your account.
A lot of students are against the fee because of this year's football record. Blair is trying to get students to understand that it is not just about them. It is for the future students as well as for Prairie View.
Last week at the open senate meeting Billingsley repeatedly told the senate that by passing this student referendum they would be making history.
"Just think about the MSC students passed that fee in 2001 so we could have a student center and again in 2011 with the passing of the new recreation center, which will be opening in 2015," said Billingsley. 
According to the Prairie View Foundation, $700,000 has been raised.
The new athletic complex costs a total of $60 million and the Texas A&M System authorities have said if we raise half of the money they will give us the other half.
Alumni, faculty, and staff cannot do all this by themselves. It is time for the students of Prairie View A&M University to step in.
So, is a new athletic complex fee worth something the students of Prairie View have said that they want? Who knows?
Remember don't ask what Prairie View can do for you, ask what you can do for Prairie View.