If you haven’t seen it yet, there is a rock-climbing wall set up on upper Sproul for our climbing pleasure right in front of the GBC. Thanks to ASUC elections we’ve all seen Sproul get a little crazy this week, even crazier than usual. But not only are candidates getting their faces out there to earn votes, it turns out referendums are, too.
Chow down on some fries and then hit the conveniently placed wall to burn them off?
The climbing wall is one of the features advertised in the proposed Health and Wellness referendum, which we’ll all be voting on this week alongside other amendments and referendums, as well as ASUC senate seats and executive positions, of course. The referendum proposes a new mandatory fee from students to fund the construction of a new wellness center and the installation of new equipment and operations for the rec center, like a rock climbing wall, cardio machines and health classes.
There’s been a good deal of controversy surrounding the referendum, like how crucial it really is for students and whether or not the executive order issued by ASUC President Connor Landgraf to get the referendum on the ballot was appropriate. Amid all this comes a way to clear the air and get students to understand the heart of the proposal: whether or not they’d like a cool new toy available for them to play with.
The wall is free for students to climb, and while there you can conveniently hear people in the tent beneath yelling, “Vote yes on Health and Wellness!” From way up there, feeling strong and powerful, looking down on your fellow students as they scurry to and from class, you may think, “Sure! I can vote for this! I want to climb all the time!” Honestly, after trying that baby out who could say no, right?
While a clever way of making the idea of a new wellness center known to the student body, we’re concerned with whether or not it really gets their main point across. Sure, having a rock-climbing wall would be super cool! It’s fun and a good way to exercise: a win-win. But does the hefty cost outweigh the benefits? If you’re a junior now, will you even be around to see the plan in action? The Wellness Center wouldn’t be finished and functional right away, and that’s something to consider. Just seeing a fun activity on Sproul and hearing that they want to add one for everyone’s use is enticing, but it’s not enough to base a vote on.
We’re not saying this is a bad thing, and we’re not saying to ignore their calls to “Climb and vote!” By all means, climb away! We know we were dying to as soon as we saw it. Just make sure to ask questions about what it’s advertising afterwards. If you’re going to be paying for all the new toys, you’ll want to know if you’re even going to be able to use them — or if you’re willing to pay so that people in the future can use them once you’re gone.
Contact Erum Khan at [email protected]